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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23796178">The Desire of a Queen</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzraelGFG/pseuds/AzraelGFG'>AzraelGFG</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe-Post Canon, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Consensual Non-Consent, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional Sex, F/M, Love Confessions, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Sandor, POV Sansa, Past Rape/Non-con, Period-Typical Sexism, Protective Sandor Clegane, Ramsay Bolton was his own warning, Rape Recovery, Sansa Stark is Queen in the North, Sansa reclaims her body, Sansa reclaims her happiness, Sansa reclaims her sexuality, medieval traditions, sansan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 23:02:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>43,081</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23796178</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzraelGFG/pseuds/AzraelGFG</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Sansa rules as Queen in the North. As the winter held the North in its cold grip, she managed to rebuild the North, but now that the Spring has arrived the nobility and the small folk start to ask the question Sansa had tried to avoid as long as possible: When does she intend to marry to give the North an heir to the throne?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Sandor Clegane &amp; Sansa Stark, Sandor Clegane/Sansa Stark</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>165</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>337</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Sansa I: Everything for the North</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Please pay attention to the tags before you read.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sansa had her eyes closed and her lips tightly pressed together to a small line. She tried to imagine a different man, than the one she currently shared the bed with, but she had a hard time to do it when the man she imagined couldn’t be more different to the one currently above her.</p>
<p>Even though she shared her bed willingly right now she still was tense as usual when she shared the bed with a man.</p>
<p>Lord Cerwyn breathing and groaning indicated that he was soon to reach his peak.</p>
<p>“Gods…” he groaned into the crook of her neck and she turned her head away from him so he couldn’t see how disgusted she was at the feeling of him spilling his seed against her thighs and onto her belly after he had pulled himself out of her.</p>
<p>He rolled off her and Sansa loosened her grip on her gown and the sheet. It was then she noticed she had held her breath.</p>
<p>“Your grace?” he asked not unkindly, still trying to catch his breath and Sansa put on her mask hiding her true emotions when she turned to him.</p>
<p>She gave him a false smile, but he didn’t notice.</p>
<p>“Yes?” she asked kindly.</p>
<p>“I hope I was satisfactory,” he said.</p>
<p><em>Not at all</em>, she thought.</p>
<p>“Yes, of course,” she lied and she nearly laughed at the way she could see his ego grow at her lie. He probably already imagined himself as her future husband now next to her throne, just like the ones before had thought the same.</p>
<p>“Would…would you like me to stay here?” he asked, certainly in hope of being able to sleep with her once more this night, but Sansa wouldn’t have any of it, as always.</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, I must deny it. I can’t allow anyone to see you leave my rooms in the morning,” she said. It wasn’t a complete lie. Of the servants and guards that were close to her, nobody would say a word to anyone, but there was always the chance of gossip spreading outside the walls of Winterfell. The last thing Sansa needed was the gossip of her living a wanton life.</p>
<p>Sansa got out from the bed and put on her dressing-gown before she picked up his tunic and handed it to him. He sighed and got out of the bed, quickly putting on his breeches and boots before he took the tunic from her hand.</p>
<p>Sansa opened the door of her chamber and Lord Cerwyn gave her a quick kiss on the hand before he left her room and went to his guest room.</p>
<p>Sansa sighed.</p>
<p>“Everything alright, your grace?” Aberdolf Strongbeard asked, who had been guarding her room, always waiting for her call to protect her, should one of her <em>guests</em> turn out to overstep what she allowed.</p>
<p>“Yes, yes thank you,” Sansa said feeling tired. “Would you please request Talia prepare a bath for me?”</p>
<p>“Of course, your grace,” he said respectfully bowing his head before he left. Sansa closed the door and went over to her washbasin near her dressing table. Even though she was about to take a bath she wanted to wash away the remains of Lord Cerwyn on her belly and thighs. She felt her heart start to race as she soaked in the washing rag. She always washed away the obvious stains of her <em>guests</em> and it always brought back the memories of the countless times where she had stood crying at the basin during her short, yet too long, marriage to Ramsay, trying to wash Ramsay’s seed off and <em>out</em> of her.</p>
<p>Her heart calmed down when stains of Lord Cerwyn were gone off her. She sighed and put some water from the pitcher next to her bed into the kettle of her fireplace and heated the water before she prepared herself a cup of moon tea.</p>
<p>She started to sip her tea, to make sure there was not the slightest chance of Lord Cerwyn’s seed taking root in her. Not long after she had started to sip her tea the Aberdolf arrived with a copper tub and left again, after telling her that Talia would soon arrive with the water.</p>
<p>While she waited for the water and her handmaiden, she thought about Aberdolf. He was in his mid-thirties and served her House for most of his life already. He had started his drill under Ser Rodrik around the time she had been born and later gone south with her brother Robb during the War of the Five Kings after her father had been murdered.</p>
<p>He had returned North when he and a handful of men had been ordered to carry her father’s bones back to Winterfell after Littlefinger had handed them over to her mother. When the Ironborn had held large portions of the North he had hidden the bones in Greywater Watch, before he joined Stannis forces trying to take back Winterfell. He fought in Stannis last battle was one of the few men to survive it and later joined her brother Jon’s army and fought alongside him during the Battle of the Bastards. Afterwards, he survived the Long Night and the burning of King’s Landing when he went south again with Jon.</p>
<p>He first had caught her eye, when she had seen him train in the courtyard. His skill had stood out from the others and he was the only face she remembered from her youth in Winterfell. The last one alive around her to know how life had been during the rule of her father. Since he had survived this long despite being in several of the fiercest battles of all time, Sansa knew he had to be a remarkable soldier and so she had named him Master at Arms of Winterfell. She needed a man she could trust to train her future soldiers and guards. Ser Rodrik’s legacy would live on through him in all future soldiers marching under the banner of the fierce Direwolf.</p>
<p>He had also been the one requesting to be her guard. When she had asked him why he would want to guard her, he had told her he knew about Ramsay and saw it as a duty to her father to protect her from letting any harm come to her ever again.</p>
<p>Ever since he was at her side if he wasn’t training fresh recruits. He always stood guard outside the door when she had a <em>guest</em>. This alone gave her a feeling of safety when she was alone with a man in her room.</p>
<p>Sansa put down her empty cup, just as Talia arrived with four other servants carrying two buckets of hot water. They poured them into the tub and all servants aside from Talia left the room.</p>
<p>“Can you please lock the door?” Sansa asked.</p>
<p>“Of course, your grace,” Talia said and locked the room, while Sansa got rid of her dressing gown and nightgown before she slowly sank into the tub with a happy sigh as she was surrounded by the warm water.</p>
<p>Talia added another piece of wood to the fire before she walked over to the bed and started to put clean sheets onto the bed. Sansa watched her in silence, as she always did. It was always the same routine. When she was done with her <em>guest</em>, she took a bath and Talia exchanged her used sheets with fresh ones.</p>
<p>Talia was around her age. Her father had served as a simple soldier in Robb’s army and had been murdered during the Red Wedding. She had lived in a small village south of Last Hearth her whole life and had first left it when she and the other villagers had been gathered in Winterfell to take shelter during the Long Night. This is where she had first meet Sansa down in the crypts. Talia had told her that there she had first heard whispered rumours between the other peasants about the things Sansa had to endure and she had started to admire Sansa.</p>
<p>After the Long Night, she had asked if Sansa had use for a handmaiden and Sansa had agreed. Over the years in her service, Talia had become the maiden in her service she trusted most and yes Sansa even considered her a friend.</p>
<p>A few years ago, she had married Aberdolf and Sansa had given them both a former guestroom in the Great Keep to live in. Someday Sansa would probably grand them a few acres of land when they would have children, but for now, she was happy to have Talia and Aberdolf around.</p>
<p>“Your grace?”</p>
<p>“Yes, Talia?”</p>
<p>“Was it better this time with him?” she asked collecting the used sheets from the floor after she was done with the bed.</p>
<p>“Well everything is better than Ramsay I guess,” Sansa said. “But I can’t say it’s better compared to the one before.”</p>
<p>“At least Lord Cerwyn is good looking,” Talia said.</p>
<p><em>To your eyes, compared to the man I imagine every time he is just a mere boy</em>, Sansa thought to herself, but only hummed to answer her handmaiden.</p>
<p>“I’ll be right back, your grace,” Talia said and left the room with the used sheets and her clothes in a basket.</p>
<p>When the door closed Sansa sighed and leaned back against the tub and closed her eyes for a moment.</p>
<p>She was twenty-four now and already ruling the North for a little bit more than six years. She had spent the first two years of her reign doing everything she could to rebuild the North and make sure the smallfolk had enough to eat during the short but harsh winter.</p>
<p>As far as she knew the smallfolk inside and outside of Winterfell were glad to be under her rule. Even most Lords were fond of her and she didn’t need to worry about their loyalty, even though some were still upset to be ruled by a young woman. Sansa hadn’t cared during these first two years of her rule.</p>
<p>When spring had come and the northern economy started to prosper once more the whispers in the North had occurred for the first time when their Queen would marry again and get an heir.</p>
<p>Sansa had feared the day she had to make that decision. The memories of Ramsay were still too fresh in her mind and it often happened that she woke up at night drenched in sweat gasping for air.</p>
<p>Because of this, she had successfully denied any marriage proposals when they came, saying the North was the only child she needed.</p>
<p>At first, this decision even raised her popularity, but slowly but surely Sansa realized that her whole position on the throne wasn’t as safe as she wanted to believe. Even though she was the Queen of the North and she had some other women ruling Houses in the North, like Alys Karstark, it was still a world ruled by men.</p>
<p>Her position would only be safe if she married and got an heir to carry the crown after her. Her husband would not only be the father of her children but he would also have to lead her army in case of a conflict since she didn’t have any experience in warfare.</p>
<p>Just the thought of having a husband though and what needed to be done to conceive these heirs had made her heart race in fear. She only knew Ramsay and his ways of trying to make an heir with her. She knew from Arya and others that the act could be quite nice for women with a gentleman, but what if she never could forget her experience with Ramsay?</p>
<p>She had mentioned her fears to Talia and she had suggested she should ask the Maester about it.</p>
<p>She had gone to Maester Wolkan and explained her concerns about another marriage. After all, he had seen firsthand what Ramsay had done. Wolkan had told her he had seen many women like her during his service at the Dreadfort. He had requested suggestions on how to treat these women from the Citadel, but the only advice he had gotten had been a comparison to getting right back on a horse after having been thrown. Best get it over and done with so that these women would get over any fears they had.</p>
<p>But Wolkan had also told her he had never been able to verify this suggestion since most defiled women disappeared soon by the hands of Ramsay’s men.</p>
<p>Maester Wolkan’s words didn’t exactly have the effect she had hoped for. Now she was even more unsure about sharing a bed with a man she didn’t know.</p>
<p>When she had told this one evening when Talia had been brushing out her hair, Talia had tried to lift her mood, by saying that it would be so much easier if they could have a chance to test men before they would marry them.</p>
<p>Sansa had then said there was no reason why she couldn't test any potential man. She was the Queen, young and beautiful and no man would deny her if she said she wanted to spend a night with him.</p>
<p>This had been the begin of her receiving men every now and then if one caught her attention.</p>
<p>The first man she had taken with her had been a landed knight who had been on his journey South to a tourney at Seaguard. While their encounter hadn’t been alright and he hadn’t hurt her in any way, she had still cried the whole night after he had left her room as all memories of Ramsay had come crashing down on her.</p>
<p>With the one after it had gotten better because she had started to think on the one man, she had actually been curious to share the bed with instead of trying to keep Ramsay out of her mind.</p>
<p>The door opened again and Talia entered once more.</p>
<p>“Can you help me with my hair?” Sansa asked.</p>
<p>“Of course, your grace,” Talia said and kneeled next to the tub.</p>
<p>Even though Sansa could just order their servants to do anything she wanted, she still preferred to ask them instead.</p>
<p>“Are you going to consider Lord Cerwyn as your husband, your grace?” Talia asked as she soaked Sansa’s hair.</p>
<p>“I don’t know,” Sansa said in honest. “I guess he would do if there aren’t a better one.”</p>
<p>“You never told me about the man your heart desires,” Talia said. “Would you like to talk to me about him?”</p>
<p>“He was the best man I’ve ever known,” Sansa said. “Tall…well built physique…a bit rough around the edges, but a good heart. He had a tough life and that made him cynical about everything. Especially knights…gods how he hated to be called a knight even though he was probably one of the best fighters in Westeros.”</p>
<p>Talia started to soap her hair.</p>
<p>“He was my protector in King’s Landing and also gave me some advice that helped me in later life.”</p>
<p>“Do I know him?” Talia asked.</p>
<p>“You might have seen him around the Long Night. Sandor Clegane…”</p>
<p>“He is the one you desire?” Talia asked surprised but didn’t seem scandalized by it.</p>
<p>“Yes…he is the one I desire, but he is dead. He went South to King’s Landing and never returned. My sister told me he must be dead since he was never seen again. I should have taken the chance during the feast after the Long Night…” Sansa said and didn’t keep her regret out of her voice.</p>
<p>“What chance, your grace?”</p>
<p>“To spend a night with him.”</p>
<p>Sansa sighed, as Talia rinsed out the soap with clean water.</p>
<p>Talia helped her out from the tub and after Sansa dried herself with a towel Talia brushed her hair at the dressing table.</p>
<p>“I am sure you will find a man that will be a good husband to you,” Talia said.</p>
<p>“I hope so. I just want what my parents had.”</p>
<p>“I am sure you will find what you want.”</p>
<p>Sansa hummed as an answer.</p>
<p><em>I never get what I want</em>, Sansa thought.<em>Not in this life at least.</em></p>
<p>After Talia was done, Sansa said her good night to her and thanked her for helping her. Talia curtsied and left the room.</p>
<p>Sansa locked the door and went to bed after adding another piece of wood to the fireplace. She got under the blanket and stared at the canopy of her bed.</p>
<p>“I am Queen but I am the only one with no choice in the North,” Sansa whispered to herself at the situation she was in.</p>
<p>Sansa had no idea how long she could stay unmarried anymore. She had a responsibility to the North and she wouldn’t disappoint the North by not giving the North an heir.</p>
<p><em>Everything for the North</em>, Sansa thought before she closed her eyes to sleep.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Sandor I: A Hound on an Island</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sandor walked along the beach as he did every day. He looked out for anything that had been washed ashore. Mostly wood, they could dry and use for their ovens and the fireplace in the kitchen.</p>
<p>He had a basket on his back for the pieces of wood he collected. This morning had been good so far. It seems there had been a storm or a flood on the Trident because there were a lot of branches which had been washed ashore.</p>
<p>It was a sunny day and the gulls were flying above his head. Sandor felt some pearls of sweat run down his face and he decided to sit down under a tree near the shore for a while.</p>
<p>Sandor stretched his bad leg and looked out to the sea for a while. Some fishing boats from Saltpan were visible in the distance. He took out a piece of cloth and dried his forehead.</p>
<p>He looked at the piece of cloth for a moment before he tugged it away. It always reminded him of the handkerchief he had once given Sansa.</p>
<p><em>Ohh little bird</em>, he thought with a sigh. <em>What are you might doing right now?</em></p>
<p><em>Stupid old dog</em>. The little bird was far away in the North. She was safe. She was Queen now as far as he had heard. She didn’t need him anymore. He had his chance of trying to have a place in her life and he threw it away when he decided to go south trying to kill his monster of a brother.</p>
<p>He had only realized that a few years ago when he had been awake a whole night starring at the ceiling of his hut remembering the feast after the Long Night. After that red-haired Wildling had left him finally alone the little bird had approached him and after all these years, he could still recall every word they had exchanged. He even could still feel her thump rubbing against the back of his hand after she had taken it.</p>
<p>He would never forget that feeling. He should have offered her his service, but he had been too stupid to see that chance.</p>
<p>He had left Winterfell as soon as the sun had started to rise while everyone else in the castle was still dealing with their hangover. At first, he had been annoyed when the little wolf had joined him, but overall, he was glad that he didn’t travel alone. He had grown fond of Arya. It was like the first time they travelled together, but with the difference that she now could deal with danger alone.</p>
<p>As they had been crossing the ruby ford, they had met a traveller struggling to cross the ford with his card. Arya had convinced him to help the man and when they had been on the other shore, he had introduced himself as Elder Brother and told them about the place he lived.</p>
<p>Sandor had barely listened to his words, consumed by the idea of finally driving his sword deep into his brother’s skull.</p>
<p>It didn’t come to that in the end.</p>
<p>After he had sent Arya away, saying it wasn’t good to die just for revenge, he had smelled the scent of ten thousands of peasants dying by Daenerys’ dragon fire it had brought back the memories of the day his brother burned him and the night where he had disappointed the little bird, by not taking her with him the night the Blackwater had burned.</p>
<p>He had barely a memory how he had somehow managed to escape the burning apocalypse around him but somehow had managed it. He even had made it without any scratch. He had no idea why, but he had ridden north until he had reached the northern shores of the Trident, where Elder Brother had found him trying to cross the secret paths to the Quiet Isle.</p>
<p>Elder Brother hadn’t asked any questions but taken him in with the other silent brothers.</p>
<p>Sandor had been a mess for almost two years after the burning of King’s Landing. Every night he had woken up screaming at the memories of his burning and the Dragon fire around him as he had fled the city. He had talked with Elder Brother about it and it had helped him to slowly get back to normal again. He had talked about his brother and what he had done to him with Elder Brother and it had been freeing to openly talk about it.</p>
<p>By now he was able to sleep more or less peacefully for years, but there was still one thing he wasn’t able to open up to Elder Brother.</p>
<p>Every time he dreamt of the fire in King’s Landing it brought back the memories of the night when the Blackwater burned and that brought back the pictures of him holding a knife to Sansa’s throat and his face close to hers. She had her eyes closed and her face had looked like she was expecting him to kiss her.</p>
<p>These memories though always brought back the vision he had seen in the flames when Thoros had made him look in the flames as they had travelled North.</p>
<p>He had seen the mountain formed like the tip of an arrow, but he had seen something else at first that he hadn’t told anyone about.</p>
<p>Sansa in a white dress in a decorated room that looked similar to the rooms in Winterfell. Tears running down her face as a cruel man pushing her down on the bed after he shredded her dress. The vision had changed to the mountain and Sandor had known he had to go North…just for the little bird. He only had told the Brotherhood about the mountain and the army of the dead.</p>
<p>On the journey north, he had heard though that he had been too late to save the little bird. After that he hadn’t cared if he died or not, that’s why he had gone North with Sansa’s brother, but that had changed when he had overheard Jon talk about Sansa. From this moment he had wanted to fight the dead to keep her safe.</p>
<p>He didn’t want anyone to know how he felt about Sansa. She was the most beautiful person he had ever known, but he knew that he would never have a chance with her. She was far above him in every regard.</p>
<p>While Sandor accepted that Elder Brother had helped him with his fear of fire, but he didn’t want him to know about his true feelings for Sansa.</p>
<p>He just wanted to live a quiet life here on this island and so far, it had worked out, since everybody thought him dead as far as he knew.</p>
<p>Sandor got back up from under the tree as he spotted a whole tree trunk that had been washed ashore.</p>
<p>They usually didn’t have that much luck. If the wood was still dry enough it would last for weeks.</p>
<p>He checked on it and noticed satisfied that it was a good oak wood. He pulled it a little more ashore before he returned to the main building to get an axe.</p>
<p>On his way, he met several of the silent brothers. He nodded to them and they nodded back. Sandor was glad that Elder Brother had never demanded him to take the vow of silence.</p>
<p>“Sandor, good that you are here,” Elder Brother called him over. Sandor saw him stand with an unknown man with a card full of goods.</p>
<p>Sandor went over to the two men.</p>
<p>“Sandor, this merchant wants to stay for the night before he continues north. You might want to have a look at his goods. Maybe there is something useful for us,” Elder Brother said.</p>
<p>“Alright, I’ll have a look later, but first I need to split the oak that was washed ashore. Enough wood for weeks,” Sandor said.</p>
<p>“Alright, very nice. The gods favour us.”</p>
<p>“Aye, whatever,” Sandor rasped as he went to the barn and got the axe. Afterwards, he went back to the shore and split up the tree for hours until he had all of it in evenly sized pieces. Three silent brothers helped him carry the wood to the wood storage.</p>
<p>He ended his day by washing off the dust of the by a quick swim in the river before he went to the great hall to have dinner with the other silent brothers, Elder Brother and the merchant.</p>
<p>During dinner, the merchant and Elder Brother talked about the current politics and what was going on in the world.</p>
<p>Sandor didn’t listen, he didn’t care about the world and the game of thrones anymore. He was no part of it anymore. He only once looked up from his plate of fish stew when the merchant mentioned he might want to go to White Harbor or Winterfell soon.</p>
<p>He left the main hall not long after. He didn’t want to hear if he mentioned anything else related to the North or Sandor was sure he would dream of the little bird the again for sure.</p>
<p>Before he went to his hut, he got himself a pitcher of ale from the cellar and drank it quickly before he got into bed so he could at least be sure that sleep would come soon.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Sansa II: A Spark of Hope</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sansa woke up when Talia knocked on the door to her chamber and entered with a bowl of hot water. Sansa heard her walk over to her dressing table putting the bowl down before she added another piece of wood to the fire.</p><p>Sansa buried her face deeper in her pillow when Talia opened the window shutter letting the bright sun inside the room.</p><p>“Good morning, your grace,” Talia said kindly and Sansa groaned. “A letter from Lord Dustin arrived.”</p><p>That news made Sansa groan again.</p><p>“Thanks, Talia…” Sansa said before she slowly got out of the bed. She stretched herself a little before she walked over to the dressing table and washed her face with a washcloth and the hot water, while Talia made her bed.</p><p>Sansa looked at herself in the mirror. The youth was still with her, though she saw some darker circles under her eyes.</p><p><em>The duty to the North takes its toll</em>, Sansa thought.</p><p>Talia walked over and started to brush her hair before she braided it. Afterwards, she helped Sansa to dress.</p><p>“Your grace, are you breaking your fast in your solar or in the great hall?” Talia asked.</p><p>“In my solar, I need to answer Lord Dustin’s letter,” Sansa said and couldn’t keep her annoyance out of her voice.</p><p>“Alright, your grace,” Talia said and left for the kitchen, while Sansa left for her solar.</p><p>As she entered her solar, she noticed satisfied that a servant had already started a fire in the fireplace, warming up the room.</p><p>Sansa sat down at her table and Maester Wolkan had already placed all letters that had arrived on her table. Lord Dustin’s laid on top and Sansa sighed as she broke the seal.</p><p>While most lords of the North were loyal to her, there were certainly enough that still weren’t happy with them being ruled by a young woman without a man at her side. While most of them didn’t openly speak about their doubts about her capability to rule, some did. And Lord Dustin and Lord Ryswell were the loudest to speak up and unfortunately for her, their Houses were powerful enough to be heard in between the other Lords and Ladies of the North.</p><p>Sansa had no choice but to gain their favour by making them concessions now and then. She couldn’t risk them openly oppose her because it could easily lead to a military conflict and Sansa had no one to lead her army. She only had Aberdolf, but other Lords wouldn’t follow him since he was only a lowborn.</p><p>Thus, Sansa had no choice, but to give them tax relief or better trading conditions.</p><p>This letter could only mean that Lord Dustin wants to test his limits once more, knowing Sansa would barely have any choice but to agree.</p><p>Sansa started to read the letter and felt herself become angry how shameless Lord Dustin demanded to pay no taxes for the salt production of the next months. This would mean House Dustin would make a fortune while House Stark had nothing of it. She was smart enough to realize that this was just a provocation how far Lord Dustin could go without getting a serious reaction of her. Sansa took a piece of paper and started to write her answer, just as Talia entered with a tray with food.</p><p>“Just put it on the table,” Sansa said not looking up from the letter she was currently writing.</p><p>“Your grace,” Talia said and wanted to take her leave.</p><p>“No, wait. Just a moment and you can take the letter to Maester Wolkan to be sent to Barrowtown,” Sansa said.</p><p>Sansa finished the letter, folded it and sealed it with black wax and her sigil. She handed the letter to Talia, who nodded and left the room.</p><p>Sansa sighed and poured herself a cup of tea before she took a piece of bread. She hadn’t given Lord Dustin what he wanted but had given him far more generous concessions he could have hoped for. He would pay only a half the tax on half the salt he would sell.</p><p>At least House Stark would have some profit out of it. Sansa hated the feeling in her guts that she had to weaken her position to strengthen her position on the throne.</p><p>Sansa finished her breakfast while reading the other letters that had arrived. Most of them were minor problems. She just wrote what she had decided on the letter and she would later give them to Maester Wolkan to write and send out the answers.</p><p>It was around midday and Sansa went to the Great Hall. Today she would hold court and allow the small folk to bring forward petitions.</p><p>Sansa enjoyed this interaction with her people. These were the moments she remembered why she had put her duty before her happiness and everything else. The people of the North, who had suffered so much.</p><p>Sansa listened to the petitions of the smallfolk for hours and she took her time for everyone. Some just wanted her to speak justice while others asked her for money to get new livestock.</p><p>The last one of today was a merchant that had come from the south.</p><p>“Your Grace, I ask for permission to trade in Wintertown for the next month or two,” he asked.</p><p>“Of course. I am sure you have all kind of goods from all corners of the world. Stay as long as you want and I’ll have my Maester prepare a trading document for you that allows you trade on all markets of the North.</p><p>“Your grace is more than generous,” he said. “I come from White Harbor and Lord Manderly ordered me to bring you some presents the Lady Arya had sent to you. Exotic spices and fabrics from distant lands.”</p><p>“I thank you for bringing me these gifts. You shall receive some money for your service.”</p><p>“Thank you, your grace,” the merchant said bowing.</p><p>Arya had not returned once to the North ever since she set said almost six years ago. Sansa had no idea where she was or what was going on in her life. She only received a letter once in a while where Arya talked about places that couldn’t be found on any map <em>yet</em>. Arya was living her dream and Sansa was happy that her sister had found the life she had always craved.</p><p>Sometimes ships brought gifts from Arya and Sansa was happy that her sister had not forgotten her over all these years.</p><p>No one else had come to petition to her and Sansa used the time to return to her solar for a quick late lunch, since dinner would be ready soon enough. She looked out of the window over the landscape outside of Winterfell as she spooned up her leak soup.</p><p>The view of the fields and the Wolfswood reminded her of her father always praising the Norths special kind of beauty she had been too blind to see as a young girl. She had only wanted the South back then, but now she couldn’t imagine a life without the North around her.</p><p>Her attention was caught by some riders entering the courtyard.</p><p>This was probably her Ser Leland. He served Lord Manderly and always brought recruits for the Nightswatch to Castle Black. Sansa had once met him in White Harbor when she had visited Lord Manderly a few months ago. The knight had caught her attention and she had told him he could always stay in Winterfell when he was back on his way from the Wall to White Harbor.</p><p>He seemed to be a decent man and he probably would be the next <em>guest</em> in her bedroom.</p><p>She would decide tonight during the small feast that was always held for guests that came.</p><p>Sansa decided to go to her chamber to lie down for a while to rest before the feast would start until Talia would come to help her dress for tonight.</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p><p>Ser Leland was entertaining enough during the feast and he seemed like a kind man. He talked about his family in White Harbor and how he had been knighted, while Sansa listened closely to see if there was any flaw in his character that would disqualify him for a private meeting.</p><p>Her attention right now though was caught by Aberdolf drinking with the merchant that had come. He seemed to be very interested in what the merchant had to say.</p><p>“Your grace?” Ser Leland asked.</p><p>“Ohh, I am sorry I was distracted,” she said. “What did you say, Ser?”</p><p>“I only asked if you are enjoying the feast,” he said kindly.</p><p>“I do,” Sansa said. “I want to ask you something.”</p><p>“Feel free to ask,” he said.</p><p>“Would you like to meet later in my room for some more private talk with some wine,” Sansa said and bit her lower lip a little. She knew that this most the times the only hint she had to give her guests that in the end, they would do more than just talk.</p><p>“Aye your grace,” he said.</p><p>“Good,” she said with a smirk. “Come to my rooms around the hour of the wolf.”</p><p>Sansa raised from her chair and Aberdolf eyes met hers. She gave him a small nod and he nodded back, knowing that tonight he would guard her door as always.</p><p>Sansa went to her room to dress for the night. Around the hour of the wolf, someone knocked on the door. She expected Ser Leland but instead, Aberdolf had knocked.</p><p>“Yes?” she asked.</p><p>“Can I speak for a moment with you, your grace?” he asked respectfully.</p><p>“Of course, come in,” She said.</p><p>“Your grace I must tell you something I heard today.”</p><p>“Something about Ser Leland?” she asked. Had she overseen some flaw he had noticed?</p><p>“No, your grace. I talked with the merchant about his journey and the places he had been and he talked about a strange place full of servants of the Seven. Have you heard of that place before?”</p><p>“I think so. I feel I read once about this Quiet Isle where people go to live in silence for the rest of their life.”</p><p>“Aye, and he told about a grumpy man with a badly scarred face, who bought his best axe and the barrel of dornish red had on his card. He didn’t seem to be a silent brother.”</p><p>The moment Sansa heard about the scarred face, she felt a strange flutter in her chest, like a spark of hope had flickered up once again.</p><p>“Do you think…?” Sansa asked carefully. “…it could be him?”</p><p>“He didn’t remember the name of the man, but there is a slight chance. After all, he said the man had a little limp when I asked about details about that man.”</p><p>There was a knock on the door and when Sansa opened Ser Leland was on the other side.</p><p>“Please come in. I just have to talk to my Master at arms for a moment,” Sansa said and asked Ser Leland inside, while Aberdolf and she went out of the room.</p><p>“Aberdolf, can I ask a favour of you?” she asked.</p><p>“Of course, your grace. Everything,” he said.</p><p>“If it's really Sandor…I ask you to take a handful of your most trusted men and ride south to the Quiet Isle. If it's him invite him to Winterfell in my name.”</p><p>“Aye, your grace. What if he refuses?” Aberdolf asked.</p><p>Sansa smirked at the thought of Sandor’s stubbornness.</p><p>“If he refuses the invitation, then tell him it’s a royal order. I’ll write you a letter confirming this,” Sansa said.</p><p>“Alright. I’ll ride tomorrow.”</p><p>“Thank you.”</p><p>“Always, your grace. I’ll be right outside here if you need me,” he said nodding and Sansa gave him a small smile.</p><p>“Thank you. If only everyone was as loyal as you are.”</p><p>Sansa opened the door again and already saw Ser Leland await her with two cups of wine. Sansa closed to door to focus on her latest <em>guest</em>.</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p><p>The next morning, she stood on top of the wall and watched Aberdolf and his men ride south on the Kingsroad. As soon as Ser Leland had left her rooms yesterday, she had written the letter Aberdolf was supposed to give Sandor if he was refusing to go North.</p><p>For the first time in years, she had gone to the Godswood to pray. She had prayed that this wasn’t just a scarred man, but Sandor for real.</p><p>She didn’t want to get her hope up too high though if it turned out that it wasn’t Sandor.</p><p>But if it was indeed Sandor, she simply <em>had to</em> try to see him again.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Sandor II: A new Direction</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>His days on the Quiet Isle were most of the time the same. He woke up shortly after the sun had risen due to the cock waking the whole island. He then washed, dressed and joined the other silent brothers in the main hall to break his fast.</p>
<p>Afterwards, he always helped where he was needed. Either he helped with repairs on the several building the island had or he helped brothers take care of the livestock or the small vegetable gardens.</p>
<p>In the afternoon he always strolled along the shoreline to collect wood and enjoy the peace and quiet.</p>
<p>He then returned to the main hall when the sun was about to go down to have dinner with the others before he returned to his hut to sleep.</p>
<p>It was a peaceful life and it was exactly what he wanted after a life of service for others.</p>
<p>Because of this is was quite a surprise when all of sudden a boat from Saltpan rowed over to them carrying five men under the banner of the fierce direwolf.</p>
<p>Sandor had no idea why they were here. Maybe they were just on their way south to King’s Landing where Sansa’s little brother was ruling.</p>
<p>The man who was leading the group looked around after docking on the pier and walked towards the main hall, with two men, while the other two waited at the boat.</p>
<p>Sandor continued to chop up the wood from the tree that had been washed ashore a few days ago.</p>
<p><em>They probably just want to stay for a few days before they ride further south</em>, he thought.</p>
<p>He was wrong though, when Elder Brother came out of the hall with the leader, while the other two men returned to the boat. Elder Brother pointed to him with his finger and the other man approached him.</p>
<p>As he came close, Sandor noticed that he knew that man from the past. He didn’t know his name, but he had fought along with him during the Long Night.</p>
<p>“Sandor Clegane,” he said as if he was relieved that he had found him.</p>
<p>“Who are you?” he asked gruffer than he intended.</p>
<p>“Aberdolf Strongbeard.”</p>
<p>“I remember you from the Long Night. Did we drink during the feast afterwards?”</p>
<p>“Possibly. I don’t remember too much from that night. Too much ale,” he said laughing and Sandor huffed.</p>
<p>“What do you want?” Sandor asked.</p>
<p>“Queen Sansa, the first of her name, sent me here to invite you to Winterfell.”</p>
<p>“I hardly believe that. She doesn’t know I am here and why should she invite me in the first place?” Sandor asked sceptically.</p>
<p>“There was a merchant that came to Winterfell and he talked about a man that fitted the description of you. And her grace ordered me to invite you to Winterfell.”</p>
<p>“Is there a chance I could refuse?” he asked.</p>
<p>“Of course, you can refuse, but before you do, I ask you to read this letter,” Aberdolf said and pulled out a letter from his bag.</p>
<p>Sandor took the letter and saw it was sealed with black wax and the direwolf sigil.</p>
<p>“Read it and decide,” Aberdolf said. “If you refuse, we leave tomorrow to the North and never return, but if you agree we ride as soon as you are ready.”</p>
<p>Sandor nodded and Aberdolf left. He put away the letter and returned to his work. He would read the letter later after dinner.</p>
<p>While he chopped the tree in fitting pieces, he watched the Stark men built up their tends close by the water. They joined the silent brothers in the main hall for dinner, but Sandor left early to read Sansa’s letter.</p>
<p>He returned to his hut and pulled out the letter before he sat down on his bed. Something kept him from breaking the seal.</p>
<p>He just stared at the letter for only the gods knew how long. He didn’t know himself what kept him from simply reading the letter.</p>
<p>“Fuck it,” he whispered and broke the seal and started to read.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Sandor, if you read this Aberdolf has obviously found you and my deepest hopes of you being alive turned out to be true. When Aberdolf told me the man the merchant described I hoped that it would be you. I wept dearly for you when Arya told me you were most likely dead, but if you read this it was obviously not true. It’s up to you to decide if you accompany Aberdolf and his men back North, but it would be one of my deepest wishes to see you at least one more time – Your little bird.”</em>
</p>
<p>Sandor brushed over the last words with his thumb. <em>Your little bird.</em></p>
<p>The moment he read these three words the decision to go North had been made. He simply had to see her again at least for one last time. He could always return to the Quiet Island afterwards.</p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p>
<p>The next morning the first thing he did was going to Elder Brother to tell him he would leave for the North and that he would possibly return afterwards. Elder Brother again confirmed him he could always return to live here.</p>
<p>Afterwards, he went to the tents of the Stark men where Aberdolf were getting water from the River to wash.</p>
<p>“Have you decided?” Aberdolf asked.</p>
<p>“Aye,” he said. “I’ll come with you.”</p>
<p>“Good, her grace will be more than happy to see you again.”</p>
<p>“So, when do you intend to ride?”</p>
<p>“As I said; as soon as you are ready.”</p>
<p>“Alright. We can ride after breakfast. I don’t have much. I only have my horse and my sword.”</p>
<p>“Great,” the Stark man said. “See you after breakfast then.”</p>
<p>Sandor returned to his hut and got his few clothes he had and put them into his saddlebag before he got his sword, he had kept all these years under his mattress.</p>
<p>He went to the stables where his horse waited for him. He still missed Stranger who he had lost in the Vale after Arya had left him to die.</p>
<p>Sandor got him a good brush down before he put his saddle on the horses back. He went to the main hall afterwards to have breakfast and not soon after he was on the boat with the Stark man on his way to Saltpan where the Stark men’s horses were waiting for them.</p>
<p>He only looked back once to the Quit Island, before his eyes were fixed towards one direction.</p>
<p>North.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Sansa III: The Queen's Justice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sansa looked at herself in the mirror of her dressing table while Talia braided her hair for today. She looked tired in the mirror. Sansa hadn’t slept well in the last couple of days.</p>
<p>Aberdolf was gone for nearly two months already and Sansa started to believe the word about Sandor’s whereabouts have been wrong. But even if that was the case, why hadn’t Aberdolf returned then? He didn’t have any reason to not return home, even if his task had failed.</p>
<p>“Your grace, you seem worried,” Talia said still braiding.</p>
<p>“They are gone for two months already,” Sansa said and Talia knew what she was talking about.</p>
<p>“It’s a long journey, your grace,” Talia assured her. “I am sure they will arrive soon.”</p>
<p>“I hope you are right.”</p>
<p>Talia finished the braid and Sansa got up from the dressing table. Today she would hold court and she had to dispense justice in several cases so she had decided to wear the same dress she had worn during her coronation.</p>
<p>Of all dresses, she owned this one gave her the queenliest feeling and when she dispensed justice, she needed to look like the queen she was, especially if she had to sentence someone to die.</p>
<p>And the armor part that covered her chest also made her feel the weight of responsibility on her shoulders.</p>
<p>Talia helped her into the dress and tied up the laces. The last thing that was left to complete her appearance was her crown. Talia got it from the dressing table and handed it over to her.</p>
<p>Sansa put it on her head and turned to Talia.</p>
<p>“Everything in place?” she asked.</p>
<p>“Yes, your grace.”</p>
<p>“Alright, then I am ready to be Queen.”</p>
<p>Sansa left her chamber and made her way to the great hall, where a lot of people, smallfolk and nobles alike, awaited her arrival already.</p>
<p>“All hail Queen Sansa!” Maester Wolkan announced when she entered the hall.</p>
<p>The people stepped aside left and right allowing her to make her way to her throne.</p>
<p>Sansa sat down and overlooked the gathered people for a moment before she spoke up to tell them that she would first hear petitions and then dispense justice.</p>
<p>“Come forward,” Sansa said and the first peasant stepped before her.</p>
<p>“Your grace, my name is Hylda, I live not far from here in a small village with my two daughters. My husband left me not long ago and I have no money for food or livestock. I only ask for a few coins to pay for new seeds for my fields.”</p>
<p>“Why did your husband leave you?” Sansa asked.</p>
<p>“He left me for a younger woman after I couldn’t give him the sons he desired. He took all the silver we had and left,” the woman explained close to tears.</p>
<p>“I see,” Sansa said. “Do you have help on your farm?”</p>
<p>“Aye, my brother and his sons live in the village too.”</p>
<p>“Alright. I give you five gold crowns, that should be more than enough to pay for new seeds and to pay a dowry for your daughters.”</p>
<p>“Thank you! Thank you, your grace!” she said and gave her a clumsy courtesy making Sansa smile as the woman left.</p>
<p>“Come forward,” Sansa called the next one and she saw it was one of the landed knights that had been awarded knighthood after the Long Night.</p>
<p>“Ser Bates, it’s been a long time since you’ve been here. What brings you to my halls today?”</p>
<p>“Your grace, it’s always a pleasure to be here. I come today to ask permission to get a dozen trees from your Wolfswood.”</p>
<p>“For what purpose?”</p>
<p>“During winter the snow caused the collapse of the stables of my keep, but my lands don’t have trees tall enough to rebuilt them.”</p>
<p>“We heard reports of several other incidents like that all over the land when spring came. You should have your twelve trees, but my steward will accompany you when choosing the trees.”</p>
<p>“As you wish, your grace. I am very grateful.”</p>
<p>Sansa nodded and called the next petitioner forward.</p>
<p>Today there were a lot of petitioners and when they weren’t done by midday, they had a break for a small lunch before they continued. It was late afternoon when the last petitioner was finally happy with her decision and they could continue with the criminals.</p>
<p>The first two that were led before her were just thieves that had stolen some apples during the last market in Wintertown. They claimed they had no money to buy them or they would have but they hadn’t eaten in days. Sansa asked them why, they told her that they had no home, but couldn’t answer why they didn’t try to work to pay for the apples.</p>
<p>Sansa knew they were only saying that to get mercy. Sansa gave them mercy in a certain way. She didn’t take their hands but sent them to the Wall.</p>
<p>The next thief though was still a child, who had several witnesses that she was an orphan and Sansa didn’t punish her but told her stealing was wrong. She found a place for that girl in a family in Wintertown.</p>
<p>The next one was the murder of a young boy. He begs for mercy and offered to go to the Wall willingly, but Sansa wouldn’t let child murder getaway like that easy. She ordered to have his head taken the next day.</p>
<p>The one after was the keeper of a whore house in Wintertown, who accused a man of beating one of his girls.</p>
<p>Sansa hated that there were brothels in Wintertown, but she was smart enough to see that even if she closed them down, they would just continue but in secret. Better to have the whore houses openly and have her guards check them for any mistreatment of the women working there than having no influence at all.</p>
<p>Sansa asked if there were any witnesses and several of the women working there confirmed the accusation.</p>
<p>Sansa had him pay a hundred silver stags to the woman he had harmed and public whipping the next market day.</p>
<p>Finally, the last one was brought forward.</p>
<p><em>The last ones are always the worst</em>, Sansa thought and let her eyes travel over the still gathered people. She felt her heart speed up when she saw Aberdolf in the last row standing at the wall. His eyes met hers and he smiled stepping aside and there he was.</p>
<p><em>Sandor</em>.</p>
<p>She felt her mouth curl to a smile, but she quickly put on her queenly mask again, when the last one was brought before her.</p>
<p>“What is this man accused of?” Sansa asked coldly.</p>
<p>“This woman claims that this man raped her repeatedly until she was able to flee to her parents,” Maester Wolkan declared reading from a roll of paper and Sansa tensed at that accusation.</p>
<p>“What do you say for your defense?” Sansa calmly asked the accused.</p>
<p>“I did not rape her. I just did what was my husbandly right as soon as I married her. The law of the land gives me the right do what I want with her.”</p>
<p><em>Husbandly right</em>, Sansa thought bitterly.</p>
<p>“And that’s where you are wrong,” Sansa said. “When you married her, you swore an oath under the eyes of the gods to protect her and not let harm come to her.”</p>
<p>Sansa looked over to the woman and Sansa saw that she spoke the truth.</p>
<p>“And she swore an oath as well, to be faithful,” The man said. “But she already wasn’t a maiden during our wedding night.”</p>
<p>“I came untainted to our wedding bed,” the woman said crying. “But you didn’t care.”</p>
<p>“And now the whore tries to defend herself,” the accused tried to ridicule his wife.</p>
<p>“Silence!” Sansa said frostily. “You won’t speak anymore without being asked a question.”</p>
<p>Sansa stayed silent for a moment to make the impression that she had to think about judgement, but Sansa had already made her decision.</p>
<p>“This is my decision,” Sansa declared. “All your property will be signed over to your wife. You will be sent to the Wall to never return, but not before you are gelded. You will also lose the hand you used to harm your wife instead of protecting it.”</p>
<p>“You can’t do that!” the man yelled.</p>
<p>“One more word and I also have your tongue and now get him out of my sight,” Sansa said coldly and her men dragged the convicted away.</p>
<p>Sansa raised from her throne.</p>
<p>“That will be all for today,” Sansa said and the crowd started to leave the hall. Sansa called over her handmaiden.</p>
<p>“Talia, show Sandor to his rooms and tell him I await him for dinner,” Sansa told her and Talia nodded.</p>
<p>Sansa made her way back to her room and when she closed the door behind it after entering it the tension of today's work left her body and she started to laugh happily.</p>
<p><em>Sandor was back</em>.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Sandor III: Private Dinner</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Finally, Winterfell came in sight on the horizon. Even though this was Sandor’s fifth trip on this route it felt longer than the times before.</p><p>The first time had been with King Robert when he travelled north to ask the little bird’s father to become his new Hand. The second time had been the way back south to King’s Landing. The third time with the Brotherhood back North to the Wall and beyond. The fourth time back south with the little wolf to kill his brother.</p><p>And now he was going back north. He had no idea if he would make that journey a sixth time.</p><p>The journey itself had been unspectacular. They had ridden from dawn till dusk with a break around midday. He had used the time to talk with the men that accompanied him about their Queen.</p><p>It was not hard to see that they were deeply loyal to their Queen and no word of doubt about her rule went over their lips.</p><p>Sandor was glad that Sansa had loyal men at her side. Especially that Strongbeard seemed to be most loyal to Sansa. He was her Master at Arms and had also told him he was her personal guard.</p><p>Sansa seemed to trust him if he was her personal guard, so Sandor carefully asked if he knew what Sansa had to endure in her life already. Strongbeard told him he knew enough to make sure she would never be harmed again as long as he lived.</p><p>It still took them until late afternoon till they reached the gates. The men guarding it were happy to see their brothers in arms again. The castle yard was filled with busy people.</p><p>“It seems her grace holds court today,” Strongbeard said and he led Sandor to the great hall after they took their horses to the stables.</p><p>The great hall was crowded with people. He and Strongbeard stayed in the last row close to the wall and then he saw her.</p><p>On her throne holding her head high. She looked stunning in her dress and she looked every inch the Queen she had always been born to be.</p><p>He tried to stay hidden behind Strongbeard as he listened to Sansa ruling and dispense judgement.</p><p>Sandor could immediately see that she was a just ruler when she spoke judgement for the first criminals that were led before her.</p><p>Suddenly her eyes found him and he felt his heart speed up when he saw her mouth curl into a smile for a tiny moment.</p><p>Sandor sucked in the air sharply when he heard about the crimes of the last criminal brought before Sansa and he watched her for her reaction.</p><p>He admired her for the strength she had inside her to not flinch the slightest at the memories the crimes of this man must most likely bring back for her. He admired her even more that she didn’t just declare him guilty but instead gave him the chance to defend himself.</p><p>In the end, he was sent to the Wall. Sandor had expected the little bird to have him executed.</p><p>“That will be all for today,” Sansa declared and left the great hall after she whispered something into a woman’s ear that must be her handmaiden.</p><p>The crowd started to leave the hall, but Sansa’s handmaiden came straight towards them and much to his surprise kissed Strongbeard making Sandor look confused.</p><p>“Don’t look like that, Clegane,” Strongbeard said. “That’s Talia my wife and her grace’s handmaiden.”</p><p>“Her grace, Queen Sansa, asked me to show you to your rooms,” Talia said and Sandor nodded.</p><p>“Until later, Clegane,” Strongbeard said kindly and Sandor huffed as an answer.</p><p>Talia led him to a guest room that was far more luxurious than the room he had when he had visited Winterfell before.</p><p>He entered the room and put down his saddlebag with all his belongings.</p><p>“Her grace asked me to tell you she would like to dine with you in her chamber tonight. Shall I show you the bathhouse?” Talia said.</p><p>“In her chamber?” he asked confused.</p><p>“Aye, that were her words,” Talia said and eyed him from head to toe. “I’ll bring you new clothes, while I have your clothes washed. Shall I now show you the bathhouse?” she asked again.</p><p>“No, I know where the bathhouse is. I’ve been here before,” he said not unkindly.</p><p>“Alright. I’ll bring you to her grace’s rooms when the time for dinner comes until then feel free to go and do as you like in the castle.”</p><p>“Thanks,” Sandor said and Talia left the room.  Sandor sat down on the bed and immediately noticed how soft the bed was. It was probably the softest bed he had ever been on.</p><p>He got back up and went to the bathhouse. As he reached it he was glad that he was he had it for himself as he sunk into one of the pools with hot water. He washed off the dust of the journey before he went back to his room, where much to his surprise new clothes awaited him. It was a simple tunic and breeches, but they fitted perfectly. He dressed and used the time he had until Talia picked him up to clean his boots.</p><p>Talia knocked on the door and she brought him up the main keep to Sansa’s private rooms. The closer they came to Sansa’s room the more nervous Sandor became. He had no reason to be nervous. Sansa had invited him.</p><p>Aberdolf and another soldier stood guard in front of the door and Strongbeard nodded kindly before he opened the door.</p><p>Talia didn’t enter but nodded to him before she bowed her head and left.</p><p>Sandor entered the room and Strongbeard closed the door behind him. Sandor looked around in the chamber. Not in his boldest dreams he had expected to ever find himself in the private chamber of the Queen in the North.</p><p>A fire was burning in the fireplace spreading warm light in the room alongside several candles that were burning on candle holders on the wall and the table in the center of the room.</p><p>He noticed a movement from the side he turned his head and saw Sansa stand in the door frame to another room attached to the chamber. She had watched him take in the room.</p><p>She had changed her dress to simpler one and no wore no braid anymore, but her auburn hair was falling around her neck freely.</p><p>“Sandor,” she said and her saying his name made a shiver run down his spine. She walked to him and embraced him without a moment of hesitation and Sandor thought his heart would break out from his chest.</p><p>“Little bird,” he said and hugged her back.</p><p>“I am so happy to see you,” Sansa said and loosened the embrace. “Would you like some wine? Or ale?”</p><p>“Some ale maybe,” Sandor said and Sansa poured him a cup form a pitcher on the table before she poured herself a cup of wine and gestured him to sit.</p><p>Sandor sat down and Sansa followed his lead already taking a sip from her cup.</p><p>The door opened and servants brought a few trays of food before they left the room again.</p><p>“Aren’t they going to stay to serve us?” Sandor asked curiously.</p><p>“I think as Queen I am capable enough to serve us for tonight. You are my guest after all,” she said smiling.</p><p>“Alright then,” he said and lifted his cup.</p><p>“I remembered that you like chicken so I had them make one of the Norths signature dishes. Honey and ale glazed roasted chicken,” she said and lifted the cover of one of the trays revealing three whole chickens still steaming with heat. The smell made Sandor hungry.</p><p>“Can I help you with one?” she asked with a smirk.</p><p>“Yes, thank you.”</p><p>Sansa put a chicken on his plate before she sliced one into half and helped her with that before she broke the bread and handed him some. On another plate were fried potatoes and a pod of gravy.</p><p>Sansa urged him to taste the chicken and she smiled up when he sank his teeth into his chicken. It was spicy and tasty. Sandor had probably never eaten a better chicken before.</p><p>As they ate Sandor asked her about how she has been and she told him about her struggled to rebuild the North during the harsh winter. Sandor told her she had done a great job as far as he could see. He furthermore told her that she can be happy that she had loyal men in her service if all of them were as loyal as the ones that had accompanied him back North.</p><p>Sandor noticed how she charmingly ignored his allusions why she wasn’t married as far as he knew and turned the tables asking him about his whereabouts ever since he left Winterfell without telling anyone. He told her why he had left, that he thought his purpose in life had been to kill his brother.</p><p>“And then I decided to stay on the Quiet Isle since everybody thought me dead anyway,” he said refilling her cup after he had told her lengthy how he had ended on the Quiet Isle.</p><p>“I grieved for you when Arya told me you must be dead, because nobody saw you again, after you entered the Red Keep,” Sansa said in honest and it felt strange to know that he had caused her pain like that.</p><p>“You did?” he asked.</p><p>“Of course, I did,” she said. “I mean you had a huge influence on me becoming who I am today.”</p><p>“How so?” he asked.</p><p>“I see the world clearly today. No tales of knights and maidens any longer.”</p><p>“I’ll drink to that,” he said and raised his cup.”</p><p>“Aye,” she said and lifted her cup. “But you are still a <em>true</em> knight for me,” she added before she took a sip making Sandor choke on his ale a little, while she hid her smile behind her cup.</p><p>For the rest of the evening, the spoke about everything that came into their mind and the whole time he felt like she ogling with him. She also included several ambiguous sentences during their talk.</p><p>Close to the hour of the wolf he yawned. The journey had taken its toll on him and he wanted to leave for his room.</p><p>“Why don’t you stay here?” Sansa asked him before he reached the door.</p><p>“What do you mean?” he asked.</p><p>“I’ll be straight with you because I know you will see through any lie, I’ll tell you,” Sansa said still sitting at the table with the cup in her hand. “I need to remarry. That’s a fact, which I cannot deny. But I can’t just marry the next best man I can find…”</p><p>Sandor listened closely and sat down at the table again.</p><p>“…Ramsay…” Sansa continued. “…Ramsay…he…what he…with me…it still affects me…I try to fight against it, but…but it still haunts me at times…I need to know that the next man I share the bed with is nothing like Ramsay…”</p><p>“I see,” Sandor said and tried to hide the sadness he felt that after all these years the Bolton bastard still haunted his little bird.</p><p>“You have been good to me before…yes, I’d even say you treated me <em>gently</em>…I can’t deny I enjoy your presence here in Winterfell, but the real reason why I invited you here is that I want to spend a night with you to see if you could be a potential husband.”</p><p>“Little bird…I,” he started but she interrupted him.</p><p>“I know what you will say. ‘I am not good enough, little bird’, ‘I am no lord or knight’, ‘what will others say’, ‘I am an ugly monster’.”</p><p>Sandor was impressed. That were indeed the things that had gone through his mind. Sansa was knowing him better than most after all.</p><p>“I don’t care,” she continued. “I was betrothed thrice and married twice. One marriage was a farce and the other one was worse than the seven hells. I only want a man where I know that my <em>duty</em> in the bedroom for the North would be <em>bearable</em> and so I must spend a night with them. And I want you in my bed tonight.”</p><p>Sandor thought about that for a moment. He could clearly see the reason behind her wish. Of course, she would want to know if a man would be better than Ramsay when it came to the bedroom. And he had dreamed often about how it would be to bed her. Have her willingly come to his bed and sing her song for him.</p><p>“No,” he said and he could see the shock on Sansa’s face at this word. She had certainly not expected him to say ‘no’.</p><p>“Wh…what?” she asked quietly.</p><p>“I won’t share the bed with you,” he rasped. “At least not today. I understand why you want me to share the bed with you. I will never hurt you, little bird.”</p><p>“Am…am I not to your liking anymore?” she asked and Sandor heard the uncertainty in her voice.</p><p>“Little bird, you are as always the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I don’t want to share the bed with you because I don’t desire you, but because I don’t want it to be only <em>bearable</em> for you and that can only be the case when you and I get to know each other again before I share the bed with you.”</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Sansa IV: Another Day. Another Dinner.</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>At first, Sansa was taken that Sandor had refused to share the bed with her tonight. Usually, it had always been enough just saying the same words she had said to Sandor about Ramsay to make them easily stay for the night. Sandor had been the first to ever deny that chance. At the same time, Sansa was impressed how much he had changed from the man that had once held a blade to her throat demanding a song.</p><p>“If that’s alright for you,” Sandor said ripping Sansa from her thoughts.</p><p>“Aye, I’d like that. Would you like to dine with me tomorrow evening again?” Sansa asked.</p><p>“If that is the wish of her grace?” he asked.</p><p>“It is,” she said and raised from the table and opened the door, where Aberdolf stood guard and looked surprised at her that she was already opening the door this early. He had certainly expected that it would go as always when she had a male guest in her room.</p><p>“Have a good night Sandor,” Sansa said and Sandor nodded before he left.</p><p>“Everything alright your grace?” Aberdolf asked.</p><p>“Yes, can you send for Talia?” she asked.</p><p>“Of course, your grace,” Aberdolf said and left.</p><p>Sansa closed the door again and wanted to pour herself another cup of wine, but she noticed that her pitcher was empty. She took the ale pitcher and expected it to be empty but was surprised she found it still half full.</p><p><em>Sandor doesn’t drink as much anymore</em>, Sansa thought as she poured herself a cup of ale.</p><p>If she had a choice, she still preferred wine, but by now she liked ale enough to drink it.</p><p>Talia entered and closed the door behind herself.</p><p>“A bath, your grace?” she asked.</p><p>“Not today,” Sansa said before she emptied her cup and went to her bedroom sitting down at her dressing table.</p><p>Talia started to brush Sansa's hair.</p><p>“Your grace?” Talia asked.</p><p>“Hmm?”</p><p>“Your grace if it’s allowed to ask. I didn’t expect to be called this early. Did you and him…?” she asked.</p><p>“No, he didn’t want to share the bed with me,” Sansa said in honest.</p><p>“What?” Talia asked. “Only a fool would deny you.”</p><p>“It’s not like that. He didn’t want to jump at the chance. He says he wants me to get to know him first again before he shares the bed with me.”</p><p>“So how will you continue?”</p><p>“I have dinner with him tomorrow again. I got to know him again tonight so I will urge him tomorrow to stay with me,” Sansa explained.</p><p>“Has he changed from the man you knew?” Talia asked starting to braid Sansa’s hair for the night.</p><p>“He has, but it seems only for the better,” Sansa said. “I mean he was a good man before who had already changed the last time, I saw him, but now…he doesn’t drink as much anymore and isn’t as grumpy as I knew him.”</p><p>“That’s good isn’t it?”</p><p>“I guess so,” Sansa said as Talia was just done with the braid. “That will be all for tonight. See you tomorrow. Have a good night.”</p><p>“Your grace,” Talia said and curtsied before she left.</p><p>Sansa dressed into her nightgown alone, since the dress she was wearing could be tied up and unlaced by herself.</p><p>Sansa went to bed and before she fell asleep, she smiled to herself at the thought that Sandor was back in her life.</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p><p>The next day Sansa had a quick breakfast alone in her solar, while she read the letters that had arrived, since she had slept a little into the day, but it wasn’t anything important so she put them aside when she was distracted by the sound of swords hitting swords in the courtyard.</p><p>Sansa stood up from her table and went to the window looking down into the courtyard. The men were training and she immediately recognized Sandor sparring with Aberdolf.</p><p>She watched them for a while and saw that Sandor had lost nothing of his skill with the blade. Aberdolf was probably the most skilled warrior in her ranks, but Sandor easily sent him into the dust.</p><p>Sansa smiled at the sight of Sandor helping Aberdolf back up from the dust. Since she didn’t hold court today and no letters had arrived, she decided to spend the hours until she would have dinner with embroidering in the godswood. The needlework was one of the last reminders of her mother, besides sewing at times and when she sat under the weirwood tree she had the feeling that both her mother and father were with her.</p><p>The air in the godswood was cooler than in the rest of the castle and the sound of working people faded away the deeper she went into the godswood. She enjoyed the silence.</p><p>And while she worked on a direwolf she had begun to embroider months ago, the hours passed quickly until it was time for dinner and the bell announced it was time to return into the keep.</p><p>She went to her rooms, where Talia was already lighting up the candles. Sandor arrived not long after. His hair was still a little damp. He had obviously been in the bathhouse washing away the dirt of today’s training session.</p><p>Two kitchen girls came and brought bowls and a pod of beef stew with carrots and leak and two freshly bakes loaves of bread, alongside two pitchers with dark ale.</p><p>Talia and the two girls curtsied before they quickly left.</p><p>Sandor filled both of their bowls with stew.</p><p>“I know it’s not as luxurious food as it was served in King’s Landing, but we often eat that simple in the North,” Sansa explained.</p><p>“Don’t worry. I am not picky,” he said and filled their cups.</p><p>“I know, but some people still think a queen always dines like…well a queen.”</p><p>They started to eat and Sansa asked him how his day went and he told her about his sparring session and that it seemed he hadn’t lost any of his skill.</p><p>“I know, I watched you for a while from my solar. I saw you beat Aberdolf,” Sansa said.</p><p>“He is a good fighter.”</p><p>“But no match for you,” Sansa said smirking.</p><p>“I feel he might went easy on me,” Sandor said scratching his chin making Sansa chuckle. “What were you up to today little bird?”</p><p>“Answering a few letters. Nothing important. Then I went to the godswood until dinner.”</p><p>“To pray?”</p><p>“I don’t pray anymore,” Sansa said. <em>I prayed for your return though</em>, she thought. “I like that place for its silence and I used the time to do a little needlework.”</p><p>“I see,” he said and refilled his cup. “It's good that you have a place to relax.”</p><p>Most of the evening they talked about everything and nothing at the same time again. Sansa didn’t want that evening to end when the hour of the wolf came closer.</p><p>“Sandor…I want you to stay tonight,” Sansa said. “You said you won’t share my bed until we get to know each other again, but I feel I know you already. Please stay.”</p><p>“If you want me to stay, I will stay.”</p><p>“I <em>want</em> you to stay,” she said smiling.</p><p>“Alright, then I stay,” he said and Sansa smiled just at him for a moment.</p><p>“Well, then come,” she said went into her bedroom. She stepped behind her dressing screen. She could hear him get rid of his boots and Sansa unlaced her dress with clumsy fingers and shaking hands.</p><p><em>Why am I so nervous?</em> Sansa asked herself. <em>This is exactly what I wanted since the feast after the long night. And I shouldn’t be that nervous after all I gained a good amount of experience with different men…</em></p><p>She dressed into her usual nightgown she wore when having guests for the night and stepped out from her dressing screen. While it wasn’t exactly as transparent as her silken ones she wore when she was alone, it certainly showed enough of her womanly form.</p><p>“You look stunning,” Sandor said, who had nothing but his breeches still on.</p><p>Sansa smiled at him a little shy before she went under the blanket. She could certainly see his breeches bulge out, so at least she wouldn’t get disappointed as she had been with Ser Hardwood, who had boasted about his potency, but then couldn’t even get hard.</p><p>Sandor got also under the blanket and she could immediately feel his warmth next to her.</p><p>Sansa was still nervous and Sandor seemed to sense her nervousness. He didn’t say a word but did something no man had ever done to her in bed.</p><p>He embraced her with his strong arms and gently held her again his warm body.</p><p>At this moment, Sansa felt so safe and cared for like she hadn’t felt since the last time her father had hugged her. This feeling made tears well in her eyes and she had to bite her lip to keep herself from letting out a soft sob.</p><p>Sandor’s hand gently stroked over her back and she felt him kiss the crown of her hair. She could hear his heartbeat in his chest and the steady strong sound made her drift to sleep before she knew it.</p><p> </p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Sandor IV: In the morning Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sandor was awake for a while already, but he didn’t dare to move. It would disturb the little bird's sleep and she was sleeping so peacefully in his arms.</p>
<p>Her soft breathing brushing over his skin made him realize this wasn’t a dream, but the real world.</p>
<p>He was indeed in the bed of the Queen in the North and that by her own will. He had wanted to take things slow, so she could make her mind up if she only wanted him out of a whim, but she had urged him to stay last night and he had barely been able to grasp how lucky he was.</p>
<p>When Sansa had stepped out from her dressing screen Sandor been taken aback, by her beauty. He couldn’t deny that he had often tried to imagine how she looked underneath her clothes, but the reality of seeing her only in her nightgown had surpassed all of his expectations.</p>
<p>He had wanted her for sure last night, but when he had been next to her under the blanket, he had felt her shiver. He had sensed it wasn’t because of fear of him, but nervousness. He could <em>never</em> have taken Sansa like this. His heart had told him just to hug her and he had felt her relax immediately in his arms. She had even fallen asleep quicker than relax in his arms and he had just enjoyed the closeness to her.</p>
<p>Sansa moved a little and rubbed her cheek against him.</p>
<p>“Good morning,” she said sleepily.</p>
<p>“Good morning,” he said and pulled her a little closer.</p>
<p>“Sandor?” she asked and he looked at her before she pressed her lips against his. “Last night was very nice…even though…we didn’t…you know…<em>did it</em>.”</p>
<p>“I think so too,” Sandor said.</p>
<p>“I don’t know why I was so nervous last night. I want to <em>do it</em> with you be sure of that.”</p>
<p>“If you want, we can try again tonight,” Sandor assured her cupping her cheek. “But if it doesn’t happen tonight it's not the end of the world either. I will be here.”</p>
<p>“I look forward to tonight,” Sansa said.</p>
<p>“Me too, I enjoy to dine and talk with you,” Sandor said. “Reminds me of the talk with Elder Brother on the Quiet Isle.”</p>
<p>“I like that too, but tonight we have a guest from the Stony Shore and I have to dine with him in the great hall,” Sansa explained. “But you definitely stay here tonight again.”</p>
<p>“Alright.”</p>
<p>“We should get up. I got some work to do and I have to hold court today,” Sansa said and got out from the bed.</p>
<p>Sandor followed her lead and dressed up, while she tied up the dress she had chosen for today.</p>
<p>As she was done, she took her crown from her dressing table and put it on her head.</p>
<p>“What do you think?” she asked him presenting herself.</p>
<p>“You look like a queen.”</p>
<p>“Good, because now it’s time for me to play the queen.”</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Sansa V: Say my Name</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sansa didn’t break her fast in the great hall. As she left her rooms Talia told her Maester Wolkan had searched for her since several letters had arrived this morning. Sansa instead broke her fast in her solar, while she read the letters.</p><p>Several of them showed the sigils of houses of the South. Sansa already suspected what they were about.</p><p><em>Just new marriage proposals</em>, Sansa thought and she was right. They didn’t even try to hide their ambition in the words they wrote. They just tried to use the necessity of her needing a husband for their advantage. Sansa would have laughed if it wouldn’t be an insult. Men who barely had any noble blood in their veins or who’s houses didn’t even exist a hundred years ago had the audacity to write the Queen in the North, a woman with an eight-thousand-year-old bloodline and tell her it would be good for <em>her</em> to marry one of <em>them</em>.</p><p>Sansa didn’t even bother to answer the letters. She just huffed before she rolled her eyes, while she put them into the fire burning in the fireplace. She wouldn’t lower herself, by giving them more attention than they were worth in her eyes by wasting time on a response letter.</p><p>She took a sip of her mint tea Talia had brought her and added a little honey to it when it wasn’t sweet enough for her before she took a bite of the bacon that had come along her eggs and bread before she turned her attention to the other letters that had arrived.</p><p>One was from Lord Manderly reporting that that three new ships of her war fleet had been finished and were soon to be starting they journey around Westeros to the Bear Islands, where they would soon patrol around sea between the home of House Mormont and West Watch by the Bridge.</p><p>Not soon after her coronation Lord Manderly had approached her with the idea for a fleet that first had been developed during the early days of Robb’s rule. Back then Lord Manderly had also proposed to build a fleet since the North didn’t have any strength on the sea since the days of Brandon the Burner torching his father’s fleet.</p><p>Sansa had no idea if that proposal had ever reached Robb’s ears since Lord Manderly had sent the proposal to Winterfell, while Robb had already been South fighting the War of the Five Kings and many documents had been destroyed in the fires when Ramsay had burned Winterfell to the ground.</p><p>Still, Sansa had liked the idea and asked Lord Manderly what he had in mind. The Lord of White Harbor had told her he intended to build her a fleet of small galleys to patrol the coastline and a certain number of larger warships for open sea warfare and transportation.</p><p>The North was safe and since Yara Greyjoy was the lady of Iron Island the Old Way had ended and no Ironborn had raided the northern shores since, Sansa understood that her coastline needed to be patrolled. The last time the North had fallen to their enemy the initial attack had come by sea and Sansa would make sure that not a single one of her people would have to fear what could be coming by the sea at the night.</p><p>Sansa had also seen the advantages of having a fleet when it came to secure their trading routes to Essos.</p><p>It hadn’t taken her long to agree to Lord Manderly’s proposal and the Mermaid lord had started to build ships in the docks of White Harbor. Sansa had made sure that other Houses would also have their benefit of that fleet. Many Houses delivered the wood for it or other parts necessary.</p><p>Within a year Lord Manderly had six small galleys finished, alongside three of the large warships.</p><p>Sansa had travelled to White Harbor as these three large ships had been launched into the water for the first time. When Lord Manderly had told her the names of the ships she had been visibly moved.</p><p>The first one had been the <em>Eddard’s Honor</em> followed by the <em>Lady Catelyn</em>. The third one had been named the <em>Young Wolf</em>, after her deceased elder brother. It had been an emotional moment to see that the North hadn’t forgotten her parents and elder brother.</p><p>Ever since that day the fleet had grown and now the royal northern fleet had thirty-five small galleys and with the three ships mentioned in the letter fifteen large ships in service. Not long and the fleet would reach their intended size and the coastline of the North would be safe from all danger.</p><p>Sansa took a piece of paper and quickly wrote a response to Lord Manderly telling him how satisfied she was to hear this report of progress.</p><p>The next letter came from the Nightswatch asking permission to get wood from the Wolfswood for repairs and of course, Sansa allowed it. Even though the threat of the White Walkers had been eradicated and the threat of Freefolk moving back North after the war with Tormund and Jon Sansa still kept the Nightswatch active. Sansa had first offered the Freefolk to settle in the Gift and use the old fortresses, but they had refused. While it seemed, the northern border was safe, Sansa wanted to make sure the border was guarded. You could never know what might be waiting in the North. Afterall the White Walkers had returned during her life after being gone for thousands of years.</p><p>It also was a good place for unwanted sons or people who didn’t know what to do with their life to live a life of duty and purpose for themselves. And Sansa could send criminals who did wrong but didn’t deserve death to the Wall. Alongside all of these reasons for keeping the Nightswatch, there was the fact that it was also a place for the South to send their criminals so their dungeons wouldn’t be full at times. Sansa though had proposed the Lord Commander a change in their established system of getting recruits; instead of the Nightswatch sending men south to search for men in the dungeons of the South, the Lords had to pay for the North to take the criminals or deal with them on their own.</p><p>The income was shared equally between the northern crown and the Nightswatch and helped the men at the Wall to finance their living and so far, no one from the south had opposed to this.</p><p>Sansa finished her breakfast reading the remaining letters, writing quick responses before she sealed them with wax and her sigil. Sansa looked out of the window and saw that it already must have been around midday because on the outside she could see the guards during their daily training session with Aberdolf. She couldn’t spot Sandor, but she was sure he was around there somewhere.</p><p>She left her solar and made her way to Maester’s Tower to hand Wolkan the letters before she would head the great hall to hold court and hear petitions. She found Maester Wolkan in his tower tending to the ravens. He handed him the letters before they both left the tower to go to the great hall.</p><p>As they made their way over the courtyard several riders just rode into the courtyard. Sansa’s guest had arrived.</p><p>Lord Lumberth was a lord of about a dozen villages along the Stony Shore. Sansa had met him last year during the wedding of Lord Flint. They had talked during the feast and he had turned out to be a kind young man only a few years older than Sansa. He had lost his father when the Ironborn had raided the Stony Shore as they had begun to attack the North during the War of the Five Kings.</p><p>He had mentioned that he didn’t have many assets left on his lands to rebuild his villages and that he financed it mostly through tourney winning he made in the South. He had told her he would participate in the great tourney of Lannisport during the name day of some minor relative of Lord Tyrion and Sansa had invited him to stay in Winterfell for a day when he would travel south.</p><p>Of course, Sansa had originally intended him to be her next <em>guest</em> in her bed, but now, with Sandor’s return, this wasn’t the case anymore. Still, she had invited him and by this, he was her guest under her roof and she would make sure he had everything he needed. She had already had given the order to have a small feast prepared.</p><p>He would have her unshared attention during the feast and she knew well enough that this was what most men liked.</p><p>He wouldn’t get anything else tonight of her. At times Sansa suspected that, at least between the younger lords of the north, there was talk about how personal invitations to Winterfell often meant they would end up in her bed. So, if Lord Lumberth had any big expectation for tonight she would disappoint him.</p><p>The young Lord got off his horse and approached her getting down on his knee kissing her hand.</p><p>“Your grace, thanks for your invitation,” he said.</p><p>“You’re welcome Lord Lumberth,” she answered. “We’ll chat later during the feast, but now I have to listen to petitions. My steward will show you and your men to your rooms.”</p><p>“Thanks, your grace,” he said. “I’ll look forward to <em>tonight</em>.”</p><p><em>I am sure you are, but you won’t end in my bed tonight. That place is already taken by another</em>, Sansa thought as she left him standing in the courtyard.</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p><p>Sansa was glad that not many subjects had come with their petitions today, so she was done with them rather quickly and had time for a short nap before Talia came to help her dress for the feast. The whole time while Talia helped her, she couldn’t think of anything else, but the fact that she wouldn’t like anything more than to not go to the feast and instead have another private dinner here with Sandor.</p><p><em>Maybe she could say she didn’t feel well</em>, Sansa thought, but quickly put that idea aside. Lord Lumberth was only here because she had invited him and she wouldn’t insult him by not showing up to the feast. Maybe she would need his support someday.</p><p><em>Everything for the North</em>, she thought as she had made her way to the great hall for the feast.</p><p>The feast was already going for a few hours and Sansa was lightly annoyed by her guest but was able to not show it behind her queenly mask.</p><p>It had turned out that Lord Lumberth at the end of the day was very limited when it came to topics to talk about. He basically let her carry the whole conversation and it was tiring when she brought up a good topic and he put it to rest after like two sentences because he couldn’t say anything about it.</p><p>The only topics he was interested in was how beautiful she looked and how superior he was in jousting compared to many other lords and knights.</p><p>Both topics bored Sansa. She was called beautiful by everyone all the time since she had been like five years old. These words were just empty for her if anyone but Sandor spoke them. And hearing about his skill in jousting compared to other men, was just as interesting as if a lady would tell her how much better her needlework was compared to other ladies.</p><p>Listening to Lord Lumberth wasn’t made easier by the fact that while she was sitting at the high table with her guest, she could see Sandor sit between the others at the lower tables feasting and talking with Aberdolf and the other members of her guard that didn’t have duty tonight.</p><p>She watched them laugh about something one of her men had said and Sansa wished she could just be between them and not having to entertain her guest.</p><p>Luckily it was getting late and she could soon excuse herself without raising suspicions. And that would also put an end to Lord Lumberth painfully obviously attempts to flirt with her. Sansa felt he was certainly sure he would be invited to her bed later, so he openly mentioned how much he hoped to someday find a wife that would be nearly as beautiful as Sansa was and that his wild years lied behind him and he was ready to settle down.</p><p>Sansa didn’t pick up on anything he said but kindly ignored them telling him she was sure he would find a fitting wife someday.</p><p>Sansa watched the people present in the hall closely for the first signs of anybody leaving for the night. In her experience that was the perfect time to leave as well, because nobody could then say she was the first one to leave.</p><p>Finally, the first people started to leave and Sansa yawned to make it obvious that she was tired, but stayed for a little longer so it wasn’t looking like she was rushing for the door.</p><p>“It seems the first ones are leaving,” Lord Lumberth said. “Maybe <em>we</em> should also leave for the night?”</p><p>Sansa knew that usually, this was the time where she would ask her guest if he would mind to join her for one last cup of wine or ale in her private rooms, but not tonight.</p><p>“It seems so,” Sansa said and raised from the table. “Have a good night.”</p><p>“Good night, your grace,” he said kind of confused kissing her hand, obviously he had expected her to ask him to join her.</p><p>“When do you intend to ride south for your tourney?” Sansa asked him.</p><p>“Before midday. I want to reach Castle Cerwyn before the night,” he said still confused why he wouldn’t end up between her thighs tonight.</p><p>“In case we don’t see each other again before you leave, good luck in the tourney and a save journey,” Sansa said.</p><p>“Thank you, your grace.”</p><p>Sansa smiled to herself at the confused face of Lord Lumberth as she made her way to her rooms. As soon as she had made her way out of the great hall Aberdolf had stood up as well to accompany her as it was his job as her guard.</p><p>“Your grace?” he asked.</p><p>“Yes?”</p><p>“I assume Lord Lumberth won’t join you tonight?” he asked respectfully as they were about halfway to her rooms.</p><p>“No, but you can return to the great hall and tell Sandor that he can come to my rooms. And you and Talia can get off for the rest of the night. I need Talia tomorrow morning.”</p><p>“Aye, your grace,” Aberdolf said and turned around to get back to the great hall, while Sansa continued to her rooms.</p><p>As she reached them, she entered and saw Talia just lighting up the fireplace once more.</p><p>“Your grace,” Talia said. “Everything is prepared for tonight,” she added smiling warmly at Sansa.</p><p>Sansa had mentioned to her earlier during dressing that she might that tonight Sandor was staying again and that she hoped they would do more than just snuggle. Talia had smirked at her and told her she would prepare the rooms for tonight. Talia had brought fresh grapes and some pears alongside two pitchers of wine and a pitcher of water.</p><p>Sansa went to her dressing table and loosened her braids letting her hair cascade freely around her shoulders.</p><p>She took the time it would take Sandor to arrive to brush out her hair. As she brushed her hair, she looked at herself in the mirror and smiled a little at the memory of her mother standing behind her to brush her hair as a girl. <em>What would her mother think of the woman she had become?</em></p><p>Sansa hadn’t decided what would be the correct answer when Sandor already arrived knocking on the door. She raised from her dressing table and opened the door letting Sandor in before she closed the door again.</p><p>“I saw you yawning,” Sandor said. “Tired?” he asked amused.</p><p>Sansa huffed pouring them wine.</p><p>“I just had to fake it, so I had an excuse to leave.”</p><p>“I see,” Sandor said chuckling and Sansa handed him the cup before she sat down at the table and took a grape. Sandor follows her lead and took a sip of his wine.</p><p>“You enjoyed the feast?” Sansa asked.</p><p>“Yes,” he said. “But to be honest I’d rather had dinner with you alone.”</p><p>“I know me too, but I had invited Lord Lumberth to Winterfell last year already when I met him on the wedding of Lord Flint.”</p><p>“Lord Lumberth…what a stupid name,” Sandor rasped into his cup while taking another sip, making Sansa chuckle. “He can’t be that important. I have never heard of him before.”</p><p>“He is just some minor lord. It isn’t like I am dependent on him, but no necessity to insult him by ignoring him after I invited him here either,” Sansa explained. “He will leave already tomorrow.”</p><p>“Did he flirt with you?” Sandor asked amused.</p><p>“Of course, he did. They all do, I am the unmarried Queen,” Sansa said and refilled her cup. “You trained again today?”</p><p>“No, I rode around Winterfell a little. My horse needed some movement,” he said.</p><p>“Stranger was his name, wasn’t it?” Sansa asked.</p><p>“No, he doesn’t have a name. I lost Stranger when you dear sister left me to die in the Vale,” he said and she heard that he missed his four-legged friend.</p><p>“I am sorry to hear that,” Sansa said. “I know how it feels to lose an animal that you’ve grown fond of.”</p><p>“Of course, I know you know that, little bird,” he said. “You miss your wolf at times?”</p><p>“I do. Lady will always be a part of me. I often think how my life would have gone, if my father didn’t have to kill her after I didn’t speak up against Joffrey,” Sansa said.</p><p>“It wasn’t because you didn’t speak up, little bird. Cersei wanted to see blood and it wouldn’t have mattered what you have said. Cersei wanted blood that night and your wolf would have been the victim never the less.”</p><p>“Maybe, but we will never know, unfortunately,” Sansa said and stood up and walked over to him. He put down his cup and Sansa sat down on his lap and flung her arms around him. “But at least I have you,” Sansa said and hugged him taking in his scent.</p><p>“Aye, you do,” he whispered into her ear as he hugged her back.</p><p>Sansa rubbed her cheek against his scarred one before she started to kiss his scarred jawline to his mouth. Her heart was beating strongly in her chest as she tasted the wine on his lips. His hands were still hugging her and her hands grabbed his tunic stronger when he leaned into the kiss, she was currently giving him. A shiver ran down her spine when she suddenly felt his tongue brush against her lower lip. Sansa opened her mouth lightly and when her tongue brushed against his, another shiver ran down her spine.</p><p>Their lips parted and Sansa looked into his warm grey eyes.</p><p>“Let’s go to the other room,” she said and stood up and took his hand as they went over to her bedroom.</p><p>Sandor closed the door behind them after they had entered. Sansa turned to him and kissed him once more while she tugged lightly on his tunic. Sandor got rid of his tunic and Sansa let her hand travel over his hairy chest and she could feel his heartbeat in her chest. His hands were wandering on her ribcage to the lacing of her dress and she felt him lightly tug on them until she felt her dress loosen up.</p><p>Sandor sat down on the bed and started to get rid of his boots, as she was walking behind her dressing screen letting her dress hall to the ground before she got rid of her shoes and stockings.</p><p>She looked at herself in the mirror of her dressing table.</p><p><em>Sandor is waiting for you on the other side</em>, Sansa though and smiled at her mirror image.</p><p>Sansa kept her shift on but got rid of her small clothes before she stepped out from her dressing screen seeing Sandor await her only in his breeches.</p><p>“Sandor…” she said to get his attention and when he looked at her, she pushed her shift off her shoulders and she felt goosebumps appear on her whole body when it pooled around her feet.</p><p>Her legs were shaking lightly. She hadn’t allowed <em>anybody</em> to see her completely naked since Ramsay. Even in front of Talia, she didn’t show herself completely. Without clothes, she felt vulnerable, but she thought if one man was worthy to see her completely it was Sandor.</p><p>Sandor looked at her in awe as he took in the sight of her. Sansa felt her face warm-up at the way he was looking at her. She lightly rubbed her arm and Sandor seemed to sense that this was an unusual moment for her.</p><p>“Little bird, what…” he started, probably wanting to ask her what was wrong, but she interrupted him.</p><p>“I slept with nearly two dozen men,” she said before she knew what she was doing. Sansa hadn’t mentioned anything about the other men that had been her <em>guests</em> to Sandor so far. She watched him for his reaction, but he just stood up went over to her and embraced her holding her tightly to his warm chest.</p><p>“I don’t even know why I am telling you this…” she said and Sandor spoke up.</p><p>“Because you obviously wanted to tell me, little bird, or you wouldn’t have done it.”</p><p>“Or maybe I told you, so you know that your little bird isn’t that innocent anymore. That the shy young maiden from King’s Landing is long gone and that she isn’t as untainted as you might think…so you know other men had their hands on me before you have your hands on me…”</p><p>It felt like an eternity until he said something, while she felt the warmth and his hardness against her body. Inside of her, the fear grew that he had expected her to live chaste after Ramsay and didn’t want the leftover of other men. She was sure that other men she had shared the bed with would have refused if they had known that someone else besides Ramsay had her before them.</p><p>“I am sure you had your reasons, little bird, but I can only assure you, that it doesn’t matter to me,” he rasped hugging her tighter. “By what right would I tell you what to do with your body?”</p><p>Sansa chuckled.</p><p>“I knew enough men who thought they had the right to tell me what to do with my body…” Sansa said. “And most of them are dead now…”</p><p>“Good,” he rasped.</p><p>“You are the first one of them to see me completely, Sandor…I want to see you too,” Sansa said and Sandor loosened his embrace stepping a few steps backwards as Sansa sat down on the bed watching him as he slowly unlaced his breeches.</p><p>He pushed down his breeches until they pooled around his feet and Sansa took in the sight of him. She was marvelling his brought chest and strong arms and she felt her face warm up as he was following the trail of black hair from his stomach down to his crotch where his cock was standing hard out of a nest of black hair.</p><p>Sansa felt a strange feeling in her lower belly at the sight of him and she pressed her thighs together at the throbbing feeling that was running through her lady bits.</p><p>Sandor got onto the bed as well and they both got under the blanket. Sansa cupped his cheek and kissed him. When their kiss broke, she saw that he looked at her with curiosity in his eyes.</p><p>“I see you want to know how all of this started, even though you don’t want to ask it,” Sansa said straightly.</p><p>“Sansa, I…”</p><p>“What I told you during our first dinner is true, Sandor. The memory of Ramsay still affects me, but there is an unspoken fact hanging over my reign…I need an heir…but how can I have an heir if I fear the act of conceiving one?” she explained calmly and he listened closely. “I consulted a maester about that topic and he suggested that the best way to deal with it the same way you deal with being afraid of being thrown off a horse. Get on it as soon as possible…so I started to invite knights…lords…every man who seemed decent enough to test if what would have to be done to conceive an heir with them if they would become my next husband…would be…endurable…”</p><p>She cupped his scarred cheek.</p><p>“And the whole time…I just imagined you…while I was with them, I wasn’t really with them…in my mind I was <em>with you all the time</em>…tried to imagine your touch…your kisses…” she said. “…and everything else,” she added blushing.</p><p>“Little bird…” he whispered.</p><p>“My name Sandor…say my name…” she urged him.</p><p>“Sansa…” he rasped gently and him saying her name send shivers down her spine.</p><p>“You never said my name before,” she hummed. “But I like the way you say it.”</p><p>She brushed her lips against his once more.</p><p>“Touch me, Sandor,” she whispered against his lips and she felt his large warm palm against her hips as he started to kiss her jawline down to her throat.</p><p>His hand found its way onto her breast and his thumb brushed over her nipple, making her moan lightly only for his finger to be replaced by his mouth.</p><p>Sansa bit her lower lip lightly while Sandor sucked on her breast teasing her nipple with the tip of his tongue. The throbbing feeling in her lower belly intensified at the feeling of Sandor’s mouth on her skin and she felt her folds become slick with arousal.</p><p><em>His touch feels even better than I ever imagined</em>, Sansa though as he peppered his way down her body with kisses until he reached the auburn curls that crowned her mound. She had heard of the lords kiss before, but she had never had an interest in anyone giving it to her. She trusted Sandor enough to not stop him though as she felt his warm breath on her lady bits.</p><p>Sansa looked down to him and their eyes met for a brief moment before he buried his face between her thighs and started to let his tongue travel along her nether lips.</p><p>Sansa’s breath hitched at the nice feeling his tongue was giving her. She grabbed the sheets with her hand as his tongue flickered over her pearl and she felt a strange former unknown feeling build up deep inside her.</p><p>“Sandor…yes…yes…my go…yes…,” she moaned as she felt waves of pleasure run through her whole body making her toes curl.</p><p>After the last wave of pleasure had ended, she chuckled lightly and buried her face in the pillow.</p><p>“Gods that never happened before…” she mused.</p><p>“Good, but we aren’t done yet little bird, if you still want me,” he rasped.</p><p>“I never wanted anything more in my life than you right now,” she mused and he moved between her leg and she felt him trail himself along her folds until she felt his tip at her entrance.</p><p>Instead of entering her he looked at her asking for permission and she pulled him down for another kiss and as their lips met, she felt him slowly enter her core.</p><p>Her mouth curled into a small smile as he started to move and it was just like she had tried to imagine so often, but this time it was really Sandor’s touch she was feeling. His warmth that made goosebumps run over her skin. His scent surrounding her and most important his face she saw when she opened her eyes.</p><p>It was just like she had hoped it would be. His touch gentle on her skin as he caressed her curves. The pacing of his movement just right that she felt another peak build up inside her.</p><p>It didn’t take long for Sansa to reach her peak again and she lightly buried her nails into his shoulder as he brought her over the edge.</p><p>She didn’t want this moment to end, but she could hear his breathing get heavier indicating he was close to his release as well.</p><p>Instead of just waiting for it to be over, as usual, she had her eyes open, because she wanted to see the man who had already brought her so much joy tonight, find his own.</p><p>To feel and see him find his release with her name as a soft rasp on his lips made shivers run down her spine.</p><p>Instead of rolling off her, he stayed propped up on his arms and they exchanged a few kisses until she felt him slip out of her. Sansa sighed satisfied as he rolled off her. Her skin was damp by sweat and some of her auburn hair was sticking to her forehead.</p><p>Sandor gently swiped the hair out of her face behind her ear.</p><p>“Would you like some wine?” Sansa asked and Sandor nodded still breathing heavily not saying a word.</p><p>Sansa got out of the bed and she felt some of his seed run down her leg.</p><p><em>Strange</em>, Sansa thought. Usually, she’d now feel deeply disgusted at the feeling, but this time this feeling was gone.</p><p>She quickly went over to the dressing table and refreshed with a wet rag before she went to the other room and poured Sandor a cup of wine. She also put some water in the kettle and heated it over the fireplace until it boiled.</p><p>“What you doing?” Sandor asked standing in the door to her bedroom before he walked over to the table and picked up his cup a took a sip.</p><p>“Just some moon tea,” Sansa said in honest and turned around to see Sandor’s reaction. “Just a precaution. It would be bad as unmarried Queen to suddenly carry a child under her heart.”</p><p>“Aye, that would be bad,” Sandor said chuckling.</p><p>Sandor finished the tea and took a few sips knowing that this would be enough to have the desired effect. She took a few grapes before she poured herself a cup of wine as well.</p><p>They returned to the bedroom and it didn’t feel awkward at all to be around Sandor without clothes. Maybe it was because it felt like her body was finally hers once more and she was choosing who she showed it to. They emptied their cups and got back under the blanket and Sansa snuggled up to his side, while his arm embraced her.</p><p>“This was nice,” Sansa mused.</p><p>“Aye it was,” he said and gently brushed with his fingertips over her arm.</p><p>“It was so different from all the times before,” she said sleepily feeling like she was moments away from drifting off to sleep.</p><p>“Maybe because <em>‘love’</em> was involved this time,” he said and it was the last thing she barely heard as she fell asleep in his arms.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Sansa VI: Brave. Gentle. Strong</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She walked the path through the godswood as she had done so often. She could feel the cold leaves underneath her bare feet as she walked the path to the weirwood tree.</p>
<p>As she approached it, she could already hear the characteristic sound of a whetstone scratching over steel. A grown man sat on the stone at the pond with his back to Sansa, but Sansa knew who he was already.</p>
<p>“Father,” she said and the man stopped got up and turned around. It was indeed her father.</p>
<p>“Hello little one,” her father warmly said and held out his arms to her.</p>
<p>She embraced her father and she felt him kiss the crown of her hair.</p>
<p>“Gods, look at you,” he said as he loosened their embrace a little. “Not the little girl I remember anymore, but a grown woman.”</p>
<p><em>Of course</em>, Sansa thought. <em>He died before he could see me grow up</em>.</p>
<p>“I miss you,” Sansa said and hugged her father once more.</p>
<p>“I miss you too, Sansa,” he said and stroked her cheek with his index. “You look happy.”</p>
<p>“I am, father, for the first time in a long time I feel happy.”</p>
<p>“That’s good.”</p>
<p>“Can I ask you something, father?”</p>
<p>“Of course.”</p>
<p>“How do I know if a man is the right one for me?” she asked.</p>
<p>“Just look for the three things I wanted for you,” he said and Sansa remembered his words.</p>
<p>“<em>Brave, gentle and strong</em>,” she said.</p>
<p>“Aye,” he said.</p>
<p>“I love you,” Sansa said.</p>
<p>“I love you too and I will always be with you…” was the last words she heard before she slowly woke up.</p>
<p>She felt Sandor’s warm breathing against her hair and she remembered last night and how much joy it had brought her. She pressed her thighs lightly together and she felt something she had never felt before after having spent a night with a man; the desire to do it again. For the first time, she <em>wanted</em> to have a man again.</p>
<p>She carefully turned around to look at Sandor’s face. He was still peacefully sleeping. Some of his hair had fallen over his scarred cheek.</p>
<p><em>Brave, gentle, strong</em>, Sansa thought looking at him. Sandor was <em>strong</em> without a doubt. He had been <em>brave</em> more than once. <em>Gentle</em>…he was so gentle with her. Last night every single one of his touches had been gentle.</p>
<p>Sansa swiped away the hair from his face to see it completely. He was handsome in his way. His scars…they made him special. She couldn’t understand how she had once thought them ugly. She reached out with her hand and started to trace some of his scars with her fingers, making him stir. He took her hand with closed eyes and kissed her knuckles before he opened his eyes.</p>
<p>“Morning,” he said.</p>
<p>“Good morning,” Sansa said and kissed him.</p>
<p>He stroked her cheek with the back of his hand.</p>
<p>“Sandor…last night,” Sansa started. “…was the best night I ever had. I can’t even properly describe how nice it was.”</p>
<p>Sandor chuckled.</p>
<p>“So, I assume I did good compared to the other men?” he asked playfully making Sansa chuckle in return.</p>
<p>“You can answer that by yourself. You are the first man I ever allowed to stay overnight,” she said.</p>
<p>“Is that so?” he hummed and Sansa pressed his hand to confirm it.</p>
<p>There was a knock on the door and Sansa got out of the bed and quickly put on a dressing gown before she went to the other room unlocking the door opening it.</p>
<p>“Good morning, your grace,” Aberdolf said. “I hope you had a good night. Maester Wolkan says no letters have arrived last night. Shall I call for Talia?”</p>
<p>“How late is it?” Sansa asked.</p>
<p>“Shortly after sunrise, your grace,” he said.</p>
<p>“Good, you might call for Talia to get us breakfast. Thanks, Aberdolf,” Sansa said and he bowed his head and left. Sansa closed the door again and felt light cramps in her lower belly.</p>
<p>She went back to her bedroom where Sandor still waited in bed. She went behind her dressing screen and put on small clothes with a cloth before she returned to her bed. She snuggled up with her back against his chest and took his hand and placed it on her lower belly. As hoped his hand was warm and Sansa hummed at the feeling it was giving her.</p>
<p>“You alright?” he asked.</p>
<p>“Yes, I just feel my moonblood approach and it always starts with cramps. The warmth of your hand helps.”</p>
<p>“Who knocked at this hour?” he asked.</p>
<p>“Just Aberdolf. He told me if any letters arrived. Since no arrived I can for once break the fast with you here,” Sansa explained.</p>
<p>“He is pretty loyal to you, isn’t he?” Sandor asked.</p>
<p>“Aye, he is and no he never tried to lure his way into my bed-chamber, if that’s what you thought. He knows about my guests just like Talia does, but he is loyal to me because he serves my house already most of his life.”</p>
<p>“I see,” he said. “Just was curious, because I hardly ever seen anyone as loyal as him.”</p>
<p>“He knows what Ramsay did to me and he feels it’s a duty to my father to protect me from ever suffering such harm.”</p>
<p>“Good.”</p>
<p>She felt him kiss her shoulder.</p>
<p>“Sansa?” he asked and she hummed at the way he said her name. “How will things continue for us now?”</p>
<p>“That depends on <em>you</em>,” Sansa said and turned around to face him. “You can either return to the Quiet Isle and live the life you had or stay here in Winterfell if you like. If you stay here you have two choices; either you get into my service equal in rank to Aberdolf and the gods know I need someone with your experience and skill in my ranks, <em>or</em> you agree to marry me.”</p>
<p>She watched his reaction before she continued.</p>
<p>“But both choices come with their benefit and downsides. If you chose the first one, I will pay you appropriately and you will be one of my closest most trusted advisors. But it will come with the downside that someday you will have to watch me marry a man that isn’t you and see me bear his children. If you chose the latter choice, you will marry me and we wake up in each other’s arms for the rest of our life. We will have a family. The downside would be that the name of your house will end with you. <em>Our</em> children will be Starks and you would be my prince consort, which means people will call you ‘<em>lord</em>’ and I know how much you hate being called ‘ser’ or ‘lord’. Like I said; the choice is yours.”</p>
<p>“I don’t have to think about that,” he said. “I only want you, little bird. For the rest of my life. I will gladly marry you.”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0011"><h2>11. Sansa VII: Hidden from prying Eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    
<p></p><div class="center"><p>“Is everything ready?” Sansa asked Talia writing the last letter for today before she would hand them to Maester Wolkan to send them away.</p><p>“Soon, your grace,” Talia said. “I’ll just have to pack one trunk still.”</p><p>“Alright,” Sansa said signing the letter and Talia left her solar.</p><p>Sansa couldn’t wait to finally be done with her work so she and Sandor could leave Winterfell. She could not wait to finally have some quality time with Sandor again. After Sandor had finally bedded her, she couldn’t wait to have him again. She would have urged him to take her again the next if her moonblood didn’t have started. This time though she had Sandor to hold her and that had made her cramps more endurable this time.</p><p>And it's not like they hadn’t done anything during the last few days though. They had some pretty intense kissing session and their hands had used the long nights to explore each other’s bodies. To her surprise, she got used to his touches pretty quickly and by now she was craving them sometimes during the day and it was at times distracting her from her work.</p><p>That was also a reason why she had decided to leave Winterfell with Sandor for a few days. She wanted some time just dedicated to her and Sandor without having to worry about any letters that arrived.</p><p>Not long after she had been crowned Sansa had realized that she couldn’t spend all her time in Winterfell if she wanted time for herself without having to worry for letters arriving and having to deal with petitioners.</p><p>And she had found the perfect place to spent time away from her court and the stress that came with it. One of the ancient Stark kings had built a small keep west of Winterfell deep in the Wolfswood about a day away by horse. The real reason why it had been built is long forgotten and Maester Wolkan couldn’t find any records of it. If they had been any they had probably been destroyed in either the fire during Ramsay’s sack of Winterfell or the during the Long Night when the library had caught fire.</p><p>Sansa believed that it had probably been erected by a Stark to hide one of his mistresses from his wife, but in the end, it didn’t matter. The keep had been abandoned a long time ago. Maester Wolkan though had found records that Sansa’s father had knowledge of the keep and loosely planned to rebuild it, but due to his early death that plans had been forgotten.</p><p>Sansa could only speculate to what purpose, but she knew it for sure hadn’t been for her, Arya or Robb. Robb would have been Lord of Winterfell, while she and Arya would live on the castle of the husband her father had chosen for them. Maybe her father had intended it for Bran or Rickon as a small lordship.</p><p>Anyway, in the end, Sansa had been the one to rebuild it. It wasn’t like it was located in the middle of nowhere in the Wolfswood. It was located on the eastern shore of a small lake, with a few forested isles in the centre of it. One of it was dominated by a large weirwood tree. A small village was located a few hundred meters south of it. The village itself adjoined with another small lake. This village had also been abandoned a long time ago until survivors of Wintertown had fled there after Ramsay’s sack and decided to stay. Today this village supplied Winterfell with venison and boar meat.</p><p>It hadn’t taken long for the keep to be restored and it had become Sansa’s refuge if she needed some time away from court. She had made sure not too many people knew about the exact location of this place. If there should have ever been the necessity to flee Winterfell this was her hiding place until she was sure whom she could trust in the North, but luckily this had never been the case so far.</p><p>Her time at the keep was always a stark contrast to her time in Winterfell. During her stay, only Talia and Aberdolf were staying with her in the keep, while the other guards she always took with her stayed in the village. During her stays, she made sure that her servants found time to ease down themselves. During the days Aberdolf and his men often accompanied the men of the village when they went hunting, while Sansa spent time with Talia embroidering while having tea and cake. While Talia still helped her with things, Sansa didn’t think herself too good for the simple tasks like helping cooking their meals in the evening. It was nice at a time to feel like she wasn’t queen during these tasks.</p><p>In the evening she always had dinner with Talia and her husband and it was the closest she should get to a family dinner.</p><p>Sansa sealed the letter and waited for the wax to cool down before she took the others to go to the maester’s tower. As she crossed the courtyard the cart, they would take with them was just loaded and her guards were already preparing their horses. Maester Wolkan was just feeding the ravens.</p><p>“Your grace,” he greeted her.</p><p>“I got some letters for you to send,” she said and held them up. “They are for Lord Manderly, Glover, Flint and Lady Karstark. Send them today if you please.”</p><p>“Of course, your grace,” he said. “Shall I send their answers after you?”</p><p>“No, I’ll be back soon enough. It won’t be longer than a week most likely.”</p><p>“Have a good time your grace,” he said. “If something occurs that needs your imminent attention, I’ll send a messenger.”</p><p>“I know, but I don’t think that will happen,” she said and handed him the keys to her solar</p><p>Sansa left the tower and saw Sandor already readying his horse. A stable boy was just leading her mare out of the stable. Sansa hadn’t told Sandor where they were going. She had just mentioned they were going to spend a few days out of Winterfell and he probably expected them to visit a minor lord and not spend some quality time.</p><p>She approached her horse, where Talia awaited her with her travel cloak.</p><p>“Thanks,” Sansa said after she took it from her.</p><p>“Little bird,” Sandor said behind her and she turned around. “Let me help you get on your horse.”</p><p>“Thank you,” Sansa said and Sandor helped her up into the saddle before he got up on his horse. Talia was riding on the cart with one of her guards, while Aberdolf and the other eleven guards were mounting their horses. The twelve men of her guard that accompanied them were the best and all veterans of the Long Night. Sansa trusted every single one of them with her life.</p><p>Sansa gave the sign to ride and Aberdolf rode ahead with six men, one of them carrying the direwolf banner on his lance. After them, Sansa came with Sandor at her side followed by the cart and the last five men.</p><p>As they were out of the gate Sansa had one last look back at the castle, where she could see the ravens leaving Maester Wolkan’s tower, before she turned around and looked forward to the days ahead of her.</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center"><p>***</p></div><p> </p><p>They had ridden for six hours already when the forest finally became more open revealing the small keep.</p><p>“Where are we little bird?” Sandor quietly asked. He obviously didn’t want the other men around to think they were too familiar.</p><p>“Where we will spend the next couple of days,” she explained. “That keep is mine. It is the place where I come to get away from court and find some time for myself.”</p><p>They rode through the village and the villagers were surprised but happy to see them.</p><p>“Your grace we are happy to see you here again. How long do you intend to stay?” the head of the village asked as she rode past.</p><p>“A week probably,” Sansa said kindly.</p><p>“Enjoy your stay,” he said kindly and Sansa nodded.</p><p>They continued their way to the keep and stopped outside. It hadn’t changed in any way from the last time she had been here.</p><p>When she wasn’t here a family of the village took care of it making sure there were no damages by weather and cleaning through it. Sansa paid them well for it.</p><p>The keep itself was three floors high. In the ground floor was the kitchen located and another room, Sansa had ordered to convert into another guest room. It was where Talia and Aberdolf always stayed during the visits.</p><p>The first floor contained the main room of the keep. It contained a large fireplace, a dining table and a few couches and chairs to sit. It was the perfect place to end a day with dinner and later a cup of wine or ale, reading, sewing or talking.</p><p>On the top floor was her room she would share with Sandor. It had windows in all four directions and gave a beautiful view of the village, the lake and the Wolfswood. On some days you could even see the northern mountains in the far distance. The keep had two staircases. One that went from the ground floor up to the third inside the keep and a second one outside that went up to the first floor.</p><p>Outside the keep was a small hill with a cellar built into it, where supplies were stored in the cool ground.</p><p>The men started to unload the cart while Sansa took Aberdolf, Sandor and Talia to the village to get food for tonight. It wasn’t hard to find food. Some hunters had just returned with a couple of boars and they had the free choice which they wanted. Sansa paid them well even though the hunters refused the payment, due to the honor of supplying their queen.</p><p>They returned to the keep where her men were just done with unloading the cart. The Direwolf banner was flying on top of the keep and two men returned from the cellar where they had brought the food, they had taken with them like vegetables and a small barrel of wine and ale.</p><p>“Thank you,” Sansa said. “Enjoy your stay.”</p><p>“Thank you, your grace,” they said mostly in union before they led their horses on their reigns down to the village stables and probably go to the inn afterwards.</p><p>It was already late afternoon and they started to prepare their dinner since it would take a few hours for the boar to be done. It was nice to have this contrast to her normal life in Winterfell. She genuinely enjoyed spending time with Talia, her husband and Sandor cooking together.</p><p>They had dinner together and after they were done, they decided to part for the night due to them all being exhausted from the ride here. Sansa didn’t mind though. It meant she could spend time alone with Sandor earlier.</p><p>Talia and Aberdolf went into their room and Sandor wanted just to go up the stairs when Sansa stopped him.</p><p>“You want to take a last stroll?” she asked him.</p><p>“Sure, Sansa,” he rasped and hearing her name from his lips gave her goosebumps.</p><p>They went out of the keep and there was still enough light to not need a torch. Sansa led him to the lake where the dying sun made the weirwood on the island look like it was covered in flames.</p><p>“This is the place you come to relax?” he asked.</p><p>“Yes,” she said and moved closer getting on the tips of her toes brushing her lips against his. “Sandor…you want to swim with me?”</p><p>“Now?” he asked. “The water will be ice cold.”</p><p>“We could warm each other up in the keep afterwards,” Sansa whispered feeling her face warm up.</p><p>“Well then,” he said and started to get rid of his boots. Sansa unbraided her hair before Sandor helped her with the lacing of her dress. He swiftly got rid of his remaining clothes before he walked into the walker, cursing at the temperature making Sansa laugh.</p><p>Sansa let her dress fall to the ground before she got rid of the rest and went after Sandor into the water and squealed at the temperature. She dived under and when she came back up Sandor already waited for her to kiss her.</p><p>They didn’t really take a swim in the end, but rather stayed where they were kissing until the light was nearly gone.</p><p>“We should head inside,” Sansa said slightly shivering.</p><p>“Aye,” he said and gently had his arm around her shoulder to make sure she wouldn’t slip on something while getting out of the lake.</p><p>He quickly got into his breeches and put on his boots and handed her his tunic. It was long enough for her to reach down to her legs. She put on her shoes and wrung out her hair, as Sandor picked up their remaining clothes as they hurried to get back to the keep because the air became chilled now that the sun was gone.</p><p>They took the stairs up to the first floor to not disturb Talia and Sansa was glad that Talia had obviously already lit the fireplace in both the first floor and her room.</p><p>They went up to their bedroom and Sansa got rid of his shirt and her shoes before she rushed to the bed to get under the warm covers. Sandor went to the fireplace and added another piece of wood before he got under the cover as well.</p><p>“You are shivering, little bird,” he said and held her closer to his body.</p><p>“Yes, but at least I got you to warm me,” she said and snuggled closer to him.</p><p>“Always,” he said and she felt his hand stroke her back.</p><p>Sansa brushed her lips against his and he started to kiss her jawline and her through making her hum. One of her hands was stroking through his damp hair, while the other one moved along the hard muscles of his back, while she felt his cock harden against her skin. It felt warm against her and she felt her nipples harden. One of his hands found her breast gently massaging it while his thumb brushed over her nipple.</p><p>Her hand travelled down his body until her fingers brushed over his cock. She just wanted to touch him…explore him.</p><p>She watched his face as her fingers carefully wrapped around his cock. His eyes showed complete trust in her and to see that warmed her heart.</p><p>She started to stroke his length and he started to kiss her through and clavicle while his hand wandered up the inside of the thigh. She felt herself become damp at the feeling of the rough skin of his fingers.</p><p>His hand reached the apex of the thighs and she spread her legs a little to give him better access. His fingers slowly travelled along her nether lips carefully teasing her entrance and nub until she felt one or two fingers enter her core making her breath and the movement of her hand hitch.</p><p>At this moment she lost any sense of time. There were just she and Sandor and the pleasure they were getting by each other’s hands at this moment.</p><p>“Sansa…I am close,” Sandor moaned.</p><p>He buried his face in the crook of her neck as he moaned her name and Sansa looked at his cock as she felt him start to spill his seed against her lower belly.</p><p>Sansa let go of his cock and she felt his hot breath in her neck as felt herself grind again his hand. Sandor held her with his free arm as she reached her peak.</p><p>When she came down from her height, she sighed and brushed her lips against his.</p><p>“That was nice,” she mused.</p><p>“Aye…” Sandor said still a bit breathless.</p><p>“Now we are warm,” she said chuckling.</p><p>“Aye, I wouldn’t mind getting warm like that more often.”</p><p>“I guess we will get a chance for that the next couple of days more often.”</p><p>“I look forward to it,” he said and kissed the crown of her hair, while she smiled to herself.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p></div>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I am sorry updates take so long, but I am currently in the process of research and writing my bachelor thesis. I try to write as often as I can but I want to keep the quality consistent and that takes up time. Sorry for the waiting in advance.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. Sandor V: The magic words</h2></a>
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    <p>Sandor held Sansa close to his chest while she had her face buried in the crook of his neck. He felt her warm breath on his damp skin. They were already here for nearly a week and it was the best time Sandor had his entire life. Every day he woke up and fell asleep with Sansa in his arms and during the days they took strolls together or even went hunting with Aberdolf and the hunters from the village.</p><p>He and Sansa often took naps in the afternoon before dinner, since they usually didn’t get that much sleep during the nights. He didn’t mind the slightest though. Not in his boldest dreams, he had imagined to bed Sansa and now she had wanted him every night so far since they had come here. Sandor couldn’t believe how lucky he was that he had decided to come North. He was glad that Sansa took the lead in their intimacies. Sandor thought it a good sign of Sansa kind of reclaiming her body from her bad memories by actively deciding to have him.</p><p>He didn’t know how he could help Sansa to make progress, but to give her time and watch her reaction closely every time he touched her. She enjoyed his lordkisses very much and he was glad that he was able to make her find her completion more than once most of the time and show her that the act could be different from what she had known before.</p><p>At first, they had always only done it in the knight’s position, most likely because of Ramsay’s preference to hold her down from behind. Sandor had never bedded anyone besides the first whore who had made him a man in that position due to everyone despising his face. He couldn’t stand to see a whore despite being paid not even try to look at him normally. Thus, it had been a new experience for Sandor to look at Sansa’s face instead of the back of her head.</p><p>Tonight, things had been different though. They had already loved each other once and Sansa had her head placed on his chest with her auburn hair sprawled all over his torso, absently stroking his belly. She had then told him he always made her feel good and asked him why he never asked anything she could do for him.</p><p>“There is something, but I will never dare to ask you to do it,” he had said.</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because you are Sansa Stark, the queen in the North, the daughter of an ancient bloodline and not some Flea Bottom wench, who sucks the cock of a no one like me for a few silver stags,” he had said. </p><p>Sansa had then sat up and looked at him sternly.</p><p>“Sandor…it honors you that you don’t dare to ask something of me that would be nice for you, but at the same time, I have to say you that while I need an heir you aren’t just a breeding stallion for me. You will be my husband, just like I will be your wife. We should be able to tell each other what we desire,” she then said.</p><p>“I just didn’t want to recall any bad memories of yours, but asking for something…<em>he</em> might used you for…” he said carefully.</p><p>“Never compare yourself to <em>him</em>. <em>He</em> was a monster. You are…you. There can’t be anyone more different to <em>him</em> than you and it is alright if you have things you desire. After all, you even give me what I desire even without me having to ask.”</p><p>“Alright,” he said.</p><p>She had then cupped his cheek.</p><p>“And be sure of one thing. Everything I do is because I want to do it and not because you talked me into it, you understand?” she asked and Sandor had nodded.</p><p>“And now kiss me,” she had said and their kissing had turned into more and before Sandor knew what was happening, she had her mouth around his member and Sandor was left speechless at the feeling.</p><p>She didn’t finish him though. Instead, for the first time, she had straddled him and rode him slowly, never breaking their eye contact as he was gently kneading her breasts, brushing over her nipples with his thumb.</p><p>It had been sweet agony to be ridden by Sansa that slowly and he had needed to focus a lot to not come before she had peaked, but when she finally had reached hers he had finished only moments later, having them both enjoy their respective pleasure at the same time.</p><p>As they now laid there, her face still buried in the crook of his neck, while his arms held her tightly to his chest, he felt it was the right time to say the words that described how he felt towards her since the days of them in King’s Landing.</p><p>“I love you,” he said near a whisper. These words had never left his mouth ever since his mother and sister had died.</p><p>He felt Sansa tense up for a tiny moment before she moved her head from his crook to look at him.</p><p>“Say that again,” she urged him.</p><p>“I love you, Sansa,” he repeated. “And I have for a long time.”</p><p>Sansa leaned forward and pressed her lips against his.</p><p>“Sansa, I need to tell you something,” he said between kisses. “Little bird I need…”</p><p>“What Sandor?” she asked still peppering his lips with soft kisses.</p><p>“Sansa,” he said to get her whole attention.</p><p>“What is it?” she asked a little concerned at his more serious facial expression.</p><p>“I need to tell you something I probably should have told you a long time before, but I wasn’t brave enough,” he said. “I saw what <em>he</em> did to you…”</p><p>Sansa relaxed a little.</p><p>“Of course, you do, you aren’t stupid and most people in the North have heard of it in one way or another,” she said and wanted to kiss him again, but he stopped her.</p><p>“No little bird, I mean I <em>saw</em> what he did,” he said. “When I travelled with Thoros and the remains of the brotherhood north we stayed at a farmer's house in the Riverlands for the night because it had become too cold to stay outside. Beric and Thoros held one of their monologues again about the Lord of Light and I was fed up with their religious shit, but Thoros made me look into the flames so I could understand what he meant when he said he saw things in the fire. I didn’t want to believe it, but it looked into the fire.”</p><p>He paused for a second.</p><p>“I saw you… how <em>he</em> ripped apart your wedding dress…you bruised in your room before you asked something of the Greyjoy lad…and I knew I had to go north to save you…but I lied to the brotherhood about what I’ve seen. I told them I saw the dead marching south…I hoped to cross path with Winterfell but then I heard you were already safe when we stayed at a village halfway to Winterfell. These pictures of you are haunting <em>me</em> at night, but ever since we met again, they come less frequently.”</p><p>Sansa cupped his face with her hand before she kissed him.</p><p>“I love you, Sandor…I love you…you are the only one who ever cared that much for me…I love you,” she said and Sandor held her tightly. “Ever since you are in my life again, I dream of <em>him</em> also less frequent. You help me to become completely myself again.”</p><p>“Sansa, I know I already agreed to marry you, but I think it's still more common for the man to ask, so I ask you little bird, will you honor me by becoming my wife?”</p><p>“Of course, Sandor,” she said happily. “I want you to be my husband.”</p>
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<a name="section0013"><h2>13. Sansa VIII: Back Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>They were on their way back to Winterfell. They had spent nearly two weeks at her keep, but now was the time to return and leave this joyful time behind for now. As they rode, the path back to her home castle accompanied by a few of the villagers with their monthly delivery of game meat for Winterfell she always gave Sandor some glances trying not to blush at the memories of the last couple of days.</p><p>She <em>wanted</em> this. For the rest of her life.</p><p>If she had the choice, she would have liked to spend a few more days with Sandor before they would have returned, but a letter from Maester Wolkan had made the return urgent. She had gotten responses to her letters she had sent the day they had left and the receivers had decided to visit her.</p><p>She already had a rough idea why…</p><p>The weather was good, so they didn’t need long to reach Winterfell.</p><p>As they rode into the castle's courtyard she already saw the soldiers and the sigils that of her unexpected guests. Maester Wolkan was awaiting her as well.</p><p>Sansa got off her horse and everyone in the courtyard bowed their head in respect for their queen.</p><p>“Your grace, they already arrived early this morning and I showed them to their guest rooms if that was alright,” he said.</p><p>“Yes, where are they now?”</p><p>“I guess having lunch in the great hall.”</p><p>“Good, send them to my solar after they are done,” Sansa said and turned to Sandor. “I’ll see you later, I have to deal with something first.”</p><p>“Everything alright? What are the soldiers doing here?” he asked a little concerned.</p><p>“Everything will sort out Sandor. See you later,” Sansa said and went inside the great keep with Talia following her alongside Aberdolf.</p><p>She quickly went to her private rooms to change from her travelling clothes to one of the dresses she usually wore when she had to rule.</p><p>“What do they want, your grace?” Talia asked helping her out of her travelling gown into a new dress.</p><p>“They probably try to convince me it’s a mistake, but I know how to deal with them,” Sansa said with confidence.</p><p>“I am sure of that your grace,” Talia said tying up the lacings on her back.</p><p>Sansa wanted to hurry so she was already waiting for her guests at her solar, but she nearly forgot her crown if Talia wouldn’t have stopped her.</p><p>“Thanks,” Sansa said quickly before she left for her solar with Aberdolf.</p><p>He waited outside the door as she entered her solar and she was glad that she had arrived before her guests. It would only help make her point.</p><p>Not long after her Aberdolf knocked to announce her guests were asking to see her.</p><p>“Send them in,” Sansa said and Aberdolf nodded.</p><p>Lord Manderly, Lord Glover, Lord Flint and Lady Karstark entered her solar and Aberdolf closed the door behind them.</p><p>“My lords, my lady, I guess I know what brings you here today,” Sansa said sitting at her table. “Please have a seat.”</p><p>Sansa knew exactly why they were here. The letters she had sent had contained the message of her announcing to them that she was going to <em>marry</em>. And more important <em>whom</em> she was going to marry.</p><p>These four were the first to hear of her intentions and she had done that on purpose.</p><p>“I guess you do,” Lord Manderly said after sitting down, visibly relieved to be able to sit.</p><p>“What in the name of the old gods made you decide to marry this man instead of one man of the North?” Lord Glover asked.</p><p>“Or at least someone from an important house, even if it is from the South,” Lady Karstark added.</p><p>Sansa folded her hands in front of her on top of the table.</p><p>“I expected you to have doubts, but let me explain my intentions,” Sansa started. “It’s right, I could have married some man of the North, but whom? Maybe you Lord Glover? Your son, Lord Manderly? Or maybe Lord Cerwyn?”</p><p>The present Lords shot each other uncomfortable glances.</p><p><em>Good</em>, Sansa though. She wanted them to feel uncomfortable.</p><p>“Anyway, if I marry a man of the Northern houses other houses will feel snubbed and that isn’t what I want for the North,” she explained. “If I marry someone from the southern Houses it could be used as a way to include the North back into the southern kingdom and we didn’t fight and lose that much to be submitted to southern rule once more.”</p><p>“Aye!” the present lords and Lady Karstark said in union.</p><p>“And let’s not forget that House Stark will end with me if I don’t have a child carrying my name. And which man would want his children not to carry his name?”</p><p>Sansa let this sink in.</p><p>“This brings me to Sandor Clegane. You know him as one of the most talented warriors in Westeros. The only one who could have beaten the Mountain that rode. He fought during the Long Night by your side and already saved my sister and me during the War of the Five Kings even if nobody knows that. He is loyal to me and isn’t interested in power or my claim, so there is no risk of the North losing its independence.”</p><p>The Lords listened closely to her.</p><p>“And that brings me to you, my lords. You four are the first ones I announced my intentions to marry because I know the choice of a husband will cause turbulences within the North. I am aware of that, but that is to be expected every time a queen marries. Your houses were always closely tied to mine and three of you were considered most loyal by my father when he was still alive and I expect you to support my marriage because your houses are most important to the Norths unity. If you support me the smaller houses will follow suit.”</p><p>“And what will we have from that?” Lord Glover asked.</p><p>“Your houses will be considered first when it comes to potential matches for my future children,” Sansa said and this obviously was catching their intention. This was the best they could hope for their houses. It would mean they were tied to the crown.</p><p>The lords turned towards each other and exchanged some words in a whisper so Sansa couldn’t hear what they were talking about.</p><p>Lord Flint spoke up for the first time.</p><p>“We support your marriage intentions, but we need to know something first; does he have anything in his hand against you that forces you to marry him?” he asked also in the name of the others.</p><p>“No,” Sansa said right away, to not give the impression that this statement could be true. “I asked him to marry me, not the other way around.”</p><p>“Alright,” Lord Flint said. “We are loyal to you. When do you intend to marry him?”</p><p>“The official invitation will be sent soon,” Sansa said. “Probably within the next month.”</p><p>“Good,” Lord Glover said. “You are right, your grace. Sandor Clegane isn’t exactly who we ever expected to see married to you, but he for sure is a talented warrior.”</p><p>“He is,” Sansa said and raised from the table. “My Lords, my Lady, I’d be delighted to dine with you tonight, but for now I need to get some work done.”</p><p>“Of course, your grace, it will be a pleasure,” Lady Karstark said and they all raised bowed their head and left the room.</p><p>After the door closed, Sansa let out her breath she hadn’t noticed she had been holding.</p><p>It went as good as she had hoped though she didn’t expect them to ask if Sandor had forced her to marry him by blackmailing her. She couldn’t confirm anything, but she had to assume that there were indeed rumors going around in the North about her inviting men into her bed.</p><p>Sansa went over to the window and looked outside and saw Sandor training with some man. She had to smile and was glad that soon she could show openly how she felt about him and the thought of finally starting a family with him excited her.</p><p>Soon she would have what she wanted and her position on the throne will be safe.</p>
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<a name="section0014"><h2>14. Sansa IX: The wedding of a Queen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the long wait. Was quite busy with my research.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It didn’t take Sansa long to send out the invitations to the wedding. If she could have her way it would be a small ceremony with just her, Sandor, the people of Winterfell and maybe a handful of Lords and Ladies of the North she had a closer relationship with.</p><p>Unfortunately, this wedding wasn’t really about her and Sandor. This wedding was about the North and that it would hopefully strengthen the queen’s peace that had held ever since she had been crowned.</p><p>While she still wanted all of the smallfolk of Winterfell and Wintertown to celebrate with them, she also sent letters to all houses of the North inviting them to Winterfell. Alongside the North, she also sent an invitation to Riverrun and the Eyrie, though she didn’t really think her cousin Robin would make his way all the way North. To be honest she hoped he would decline the invitation. While he was a grown man now and even had married a girl Lord Royce had seen fit, there were rumors that she only served as a replacement for his mother. Instead, she hoped Robin would send Lord Royce as a replacement.</p><p>She also sent invitations to the Iron Islands, Dorne and Storm’s End. Sansa knew well enough that Dorne would kindly deny the invitation, due to the young prince of Dorne who was still struggling to unite all of Dorne behind him, so he wouldn’t dare to leave his lands knowing he might be overthrown while gone.</p><p>It was also unlikely that Asha Greyjoy would come. Reports said she hadn’t been on the Iron Islands for months already. Some speculated that she was exploring unknown parts of the world.</p><p>Lord Baratheon would come though. Sansa was sure of that, even if it was just for the chance of getting a glance of Arya during the feast. Sansa thought it romantic that even after all these years Gendry was still in love with her little sister. Sansa would have invited her sister, but she had no idea how to reach her at the moment. She hadn’t heard anything about her since the last presents had arrived. Nevertheless, Sansa had a good relationship with the lord of the Stormlands and the days before the wedding could be used for some talks on how they both could maintain the good relationship their kingdoms had.</p><p>Sansa also sent a letter to King’s Landing for Bran, but she didn’t really think he would come either. Maybe he would send Lord Tyrion in his stead to represent the southern Kingdom. But with Bran, you never knew what to expect.</p><p>To make sure that all guests had enough time to arrive she had set the date of the wedding two months after she had met with the lords.</p><p>In the meantime, Winterfell was busy with preparations for the largest event since her coronation. Lord Manderly made sure all kind of exotic foods arrived alongside a few barrels of dornish red as a surprise for Sandor. Sansa had asked him if he had any special wishes or ideas for the wedding, but Sandor told her she could completely do as she liked since she was the centre of attention and he was just the lucky man to be at her side that day.</p><p>While she and Sandor still had dinner every evening in her chamber Sansa had suggested making their wedding night more special by not sharing the bed until then. Sandor had told her that this would be torturous for him, but he would do it for her.</p><p>It wasn’t easy for Sansa as well. She often laid awake at night and missed the familiar warmth of his body next to her or the touch of his hands on her bare skin. At times she woke up during the night filled with desire and only her own hand to find some kind of relieve.</p><p>Still, Sansa was sure the wait would be worth it and she wanted her wedding night to be filled with happiness for both of them.</p><p>Only a few weeks and he would be hers officially.</p><p> </p>
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  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p><p>The weeks until the wedding passed rather quickly. While she made some central decisions regarding the wedding and the feast, she still mostly left the responsibility for the organization to her steward. Slowly the first guests started to arrive and Sansa made sure to give them all the necessary attention.</p><p>Her uncle Edmure and his wife were the first to arrive a few days ago. They even brought their two sons with them and Sansa thought they resembled Robb and Rickon when they had been small. Yesterday Sansa had a private talk with her uncle and he had asked her if she really meant to go through with the wedding. Sansa could clearly hear just his concern for her wellbeing in his voice and no accusation. She managed to put his concerns to rest by explaining to him the political dilemma she was in and how her wedding to Sandor would solve them.</p><p>And she reminded him of the Tully blood floating through her veins. That she had to make sure her <em>family</em> would continue to exist, by doing her <em>duty</em> the crown and her people, to <em>honor</em> her house and its ancestors.</p><p>“You remind me so much of your mother,” her uncle had told her and it warmed her heart that at least some bits of her mother would still be present in this world through her.</p><p>Lord Baratheon had arrived this morning and she and Sandor would have dinner tonight with him. Usually, she had dinner in the great hall together with her other guests that had already arrived, but today also Lord Dustin and Ryswell had arrived and she didn’t necessarily need to be around these two men more than she had to. It would be enough honor for these two to be present during the wedding.</p><p>Sansa had watched Sandor and Gendry talk before sparring around along the other men in the courtyard and it seemed Sandor was kind of happy as well to see Gendry again.</p><p>She looked forward to the dinner and hear what was going on in the Stormlands, but until then she still had to deal with some work.</p><p> </p>
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  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p><p>“It’s so nice that you made it,” Sansa said as Gendry entered her solar where they would have dinner.</p><p>“Of course. If the Queen in the North sends an invitation you can hardly refuse, can you?” he asked.</p><p>“No, probably not,” Sansa said laughing as they sat down, while Sandor already poured them ale.</p><p>“I didn’t expect to see you again,” Gendry said and Sandor huffed. “Last time I saw you was during the celebration after the Long Night.”</p><p>“Aye, and I remember you looking for the little wolf horny from head to toe,” Sandor said smirking. Sansa had never heard that story before.</p><p>“That’s not true,” Gendry said laughing off what Sandor had said.</p><p>“It was,” Sandor said chuckling. “And I can’t blame you. In your age back then it is totally reasonable you wanted to repeat what you started the night before.”</p><p>Sansa saw Gendry blush. She had known something was going on between him and Arya and that he was in love with her, but she hadn’t known that it went beyond just lovesick glances.</p><p>“It wasn’t like that,” Gendry said still blushing. “I just wanted to find her to…”</p><p>“I know to ask her to marry you,” Sandor interrupted him. “Arya talked a lot about you when we went south again in the evenings during the journey when we cooked at the fire.”</p><p>Sansa hadn’t known Gendry had asked her to marry him. She had never mentioned it to her the slightest.</p><p>“And don’t worry she only praised you for your ‘talents’,” Sandor added and Gendry blushed even more.</p><p>“Anyway, how are the Stormlands?” Sansa asked trying to change the topic and she saw how grateful Gendry was for that.</p><p>“They are doing fine. The fact that I apparently look like my father at this age helps to strengthen my position as their Lord, so nobody questioned by bastard heritage.”</p><p>“Was it hard to get used to the life as Lord?”</p><p>“At first it was. I thought being lord means you can do as you like, but you have more work to do than I imagined.”</p><p>“And how is the south doing?” she asked.</p><p>“Fine, I guess. I don’t hear much of the other Kingdoms to be honest because I have enough to do with my own, but I guess your brother’s rule is welcomed, due to it being a time of peace so far.”</p><p>“Good,” Sansa said. “And you are still unbound as I’ve heard. No plans to marry?</p><p>“No…but of course at every chance every lord of the Stormlands wants me to marry a daughter of theirs and it is always a coincidence that if lords travel through my lands and stay at my castle overnight, they always have their daughter with them that they want to introduce myself to.”</p><p>He took a sip of his ale.</p><p>“Sometimes it feels like the people are hoping I am like Robert and would deflower their daughters or father a bastard so they could force me into marrying one of them or at least pay them to turn blind eye…” He took another sip and refilled his cup. “Sometimes I wished Davos had never found me in King’s Landing again and I’d just be a blacksmith.”</p><p>“I understand you, but the world needs decent lords like you or everything will go down sooner than later,” Sansa said.</p><p>“Maybe…but what use do I have for all the power when I can’t get what I desire?” he asked and the answer hung unspoken in the room between them.</p><p>Her <em>sister</em>.</p><p>Deep inside him, he still loved Arya that much, that he would give up everything he had for her.</p><p>Sansa swore to herself the next time she would see her sister she would talk about Gendry with her.</p><p>The mood soon lifted again and they talked about several topics, from the upcoming wedding to the idea of her and Gendry visiting each other’s castle at least once a year for talks about contracts.</p><p>As they departed for the night Sandor already went ahead, while Gendry stopped for a moment to have a few private words with her.</p><p>“Is there a chance Arya will come for the wedding?” he asked with slight hope in his voice.</p><p>“There is always a chance, but I haven’t heard anything of her and the last time gifts of he arrived is also a few months ago. I am afraid you should not get too excited to see her again soon,” Sansa said apologizing. If someone understood how he felt not being able to be with the person he wanted to be with it was her.</p><p>“Arya always had her own mind,” he said.</p><p>“Aye, but I promise I’ll talk with her the next time we meet so she at least talks with you.”</p><p>“Thank you,” he said. “Tomorrow is your great day, so don’t waste too many thoughts on me.”</p><p>“Don’t forget you always have friends here in Winterfell,” Sansa said before he kissed her hand and left for the night, while Sansa went after Sandor to her rooms to go to bed as an unmarried woman for the last time.</p><p> </p>
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  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p><p>The day of her third and she hoped the last wedding started not much different from any other day. Talia woke her in the morning carrying a tray of food. She broke her fast with Sandor and they enjoyed their last few hours before they would be married officially.</p><p>To be honest, Sansa couldn’t wait for the day to end so she could finally have Sandor again. She craved his touch.</p><p>Around midday, they parted ways and the next time they would see again it would be in front of the weirwood tree. Sansa ordered new clothes for Sandor and they were already waiting for them in his guest room.</p><p>Servants brought hot water and Talia helped her with her bath.</p><p>“You nervous, your grace?” Talia asked kindly as she was washing Sansa’s hair.</p><p>“No, should I, now that I finally for once about to have what I desire?” Sansa asked.</p><p>“Of course not, your grace,” Talia said. “We are all happy for you.”</p><p>“Thank you,” she said. “Still I am a little nervous. It's so uncommon for me that for once everything goes in my favour.”</p><p>“But this time it is,” Talia said washing out the soap with clean water.</p><p>“Aye, this time,” Sansa said and smiled to herself.</p><p>When Talia was done with her hair, she helped Sansa out of the tub and helped her to dry up, before Sansa sat down at the dressing table where her handmaiden started to brush her hair dry before she began to braid her hair in a simple northern style.</p><p>After Talia was done, she helped Sansa to get into the wedding dress she had made for today. It wasn’t as extravagant as the dress she had worn during her wedding to Tyrion nor was it a classic northern dress like she had worn during her last wedding. She had taken inspiration in her coronation dress but she had left away from the part that made her coronation dress look like an armor.</p><p>Still, she was sure Sandor would like it.</p><p>The bells were rung outside to indicate that the ceremony was about to start when Sansa was just putting on her shoes.</p><p>“Can I come in, niece?” her uncle asked from the other side of the door after knocking. Since neither her father and brother were present, she had asked her uncle to walk her down the aisle.</p><p>“Of course, uncle,” she said and Edmure entered her room.</p><p>“My gods, look at you Sansa,” he said in awe. “You look like your mother when she married your father.”</p><p>Sansa felt herself blush slightly.</p><p>“Thank you,” she said.</p><p>Edmure offered his arm and Sansa took it.</p><p>“See you at the wedding,” she told Talia and her friend smiled and curtsied before Sansa left with her uncle on her arm to finally get wedded for the <em>last</em> time.</p><p> </p>
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  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p><p>The smallfolk that hadn’t gotten a place to stand in the godswood to witness the ceremony was waiting in the courtyard and they all bowed their head in respect as she walked through the pathway the crowd made as she approached them. Sansa nodded kindly to them as she walked through them and she only saw honest happiness in the faces of her subjects.</p><p>They entered the godswood and she saw that even more smallfolk were waiting within the small forest. Sansa pushed aside the memories of the night she had walked down this path on Theon’s arm and just focused on the man that was already waiting next to Lord Manderly who would hold the ceremony. Sansa had chosen him as the one to carry out the ceremony, due to his long friendship with her father and as a sign of gratitude towards his house for their undoubted loyalty.</p><p>Sandor looked stunning in his new tunic, breeches and boots Sansa had ordered to be made for him. He was wearing his house colors for the last time. She had spent several evenings to embroider the cloak he was wearing. In the future, he would wear the cloak displaying the direwolf.</p><p>As she approached the weirwood holding onto her uncle's arm she saw how Sandor looked at her in awe taking in her appearance with his eyes roaming over her.</p><p>Sansa stopped a few paces away from him and Lord Manderly spoke up.</p><p>“My Lords, my ladies, we all came here today to witness this bond in the eyes of the old gods,” he said. “Who comes before the old gods today?”</p><p>“Her grace, Queen Sansa, the first of her name,” her uncle said. “A woman grown and flowered, trueborn and noble, she comes here to ask for the blessing of the gods. Who comes to ask for her hand?”</p><p>Sansa had changed the question for Sandor from the usual sentence. He wasn’t ‘claiming’ he was asking for her.</p><p>“Sandor, of House Clegane,” Sandor said not looking at her uncle but her. “Who gives her.”</p><p>“Her uncle, Edmure Tully Lord Paramount of the Riverlands, but the Queen in the North decided to take this man by her own will,” Edmure said and Sansa was slightly surprised that her uncle had decided for himself to add that she had decided to marry Sandor.</p><p>“Your grace, do you take this man and accept him as prince consort?” Lord Manderly asked.</p><p>“I take this man and accept him as my prince consort,” Sansa said without a moment of hesitation in her voice.</p><p>Her uncle placed her hand in Sandor’s before he quickly kissed her cheek and took his place between the other lords and ladies witnessing the ceremony.</p><p>She was looking at his face and the taking in the love his grey eyes held for her until Sandor lightly squeezed her hand that they weren’t done yet and that one thing still had to be done to conclude the ceremony.</p><p>Sansa closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment when Sandor brushed his lips against hers. She only opened her eyes when the crowd started to cheer and applaud for them.</p><p>Sansa held onto his hand as they turned to the gathered people and slowly started to walk the way back to the keep where the feast was about to start.</p><p> </p>
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  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p><p>The feast was luxurious by northern standards fitting for a queens wedding, but not nearly as extravagant as the weddings she had witnessed in King’s Landing. It was a happy affair though compared to the shallow affair the feast of her wedding to Ramsay had been. Some musicians from one of Wintertown’s better inns played music as servants brought one course after another.</p><p>The first course was leak mushroom soup with crabs from White Harbor along with fresh warm bread, followed by the second course of beef pies with bacon, honey glazed chickens, buttered carrots and beets and whole grilled boars from the northern forests. Wine and ale flow freely and Sandor was pleasantly surprised when he noticed that dornish red was among the several different wines that were served.</p><p>Outside of the great hall, the smallfolk were feasting on boar, bread, beets and potatoes among countless barrels of ale and wine. Sansa had made sure that the smallfolk had everything they needed and would always remember this day as the day they had enjoyed as well.</p><p>Before the feast had started Sansa had held a speech to thank all the guests for coming and that she hoped they would enjoy the feast.</p><p>Between the main courses and the dessert, the guests started to come forward by themselves to congratulate her and Sandor in person and present them their wedding gifts.</p><p>Her uncle was one of the first to congratulate them and gave her a beautiful ivory comb that had once belonged to her grandmother Minisa. Lord Manderly presented them with a wooden model of a ship that was currently built in White Harbor for her and Sandor to take trips close to the coast and was able to also ship on rivers. It would be done in a little more than a year.</p><p>They got all kind of gifts reaching from expensive furs, jewellery for her and a hunting dagger for Sandor made by Gendry himself.</p><p>The one was Lord Tyrion and he was accompanied by Ser Podrick. Sansa had expected that Brienne would be coming, but it seemed that Brienne still didn’t dare to meet Sansa, due to her deciding to stay in King’s Landing as Bran’s Lord Commander of the King’s Guard, rather than staying at her side like her oath as a sworn shield would usually have demanded of her.</p><p>Sansa would have given her free if that’s what she wanted, but she had just stayed with Bran without any notification.</p><p>“Your grace,…I am not sure if I still have to call you Clegane or Lord Stark now,” Lord Tyrion said as it was his turn to congratulate them.</p><p>“I don’t know either,” Sandor said and took a sip amused and Sansa knew he would like nothing more to add an ‘imp’ at the end of his sentence.</p><p>“You now carry my name, so Stark would be correct,” Sansa said.</p><p>“Well then, your grace, Lord Stark, thank you for your invitation and congratulation. May your marriage last forever and be filled with happiness. I got something for you,” Tyrion said and gestured for one of his men to bring forward his gift for them. “I had this made you. My best blacksmiths worked for weeks on these. The best spears to hunt boars similar to the ones used by the best hunters in the Westerlands.”</p><p>“Thank you, my Lord. I am sure my husband will put them to good use,” Sansa said and Sandor nodded gratefully.</p><p>“I am not only here for the Westerlands, but also on behalf of your brother, the King in the South. He wrote you a letter and says he apologizes for not being able to attend. Ser Podrick is giving you his gift for you.”</p><p>Sansa broke the seal of the letter and started to read.</p><p>
  <em>‘Dear sister,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I knew someday you would find the right person for</em>
</p><p>
  <em> you that will give you the happiness you deserve. I am sorry</em>
</p><p>
  <em>I can’t attend your wedding, but be sure I am thinking of you often and followed reports regarding you </em>
</p><p>
  <em>rule excited to see the North prosper under your rule, as it was to be expected. Father would be proud of you.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>For your wedding I got a special gift for you, or rather your husband; I had ‘Ice’ reforged by the best blacksmith for valyrian steel in Essos.</em>
</p><p>
  <em> Unfortunately, I couldn’t get all original pieces back together, but ‘Oathkeeper’ and other valyrian steel were reforged into the sword Ser Podrick is bringing you. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>It can never replace the ‘Ice’ our father carried, but it will serve your husband and your sons after well.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>With love and regards,</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Your brother Bran.’</em>
</p><p>
  
</p><p>“Please tell Bran how grateful I am for his kind words,” Sansa told Tyrion and he nodded as Podrick stepped forward to present them the sword. It looked exactly like a slightly smaller version of the original ‘Ice’ and she could already imagine Sandor sitting in the godswood cleaning the sword as her father had always done.</p><p>“Thank you,” Sansa told Podrick and he nodded kindly before he and Tyrion returned to their seats.</p><p>The last ones were Lord Dustin and Ryswell.</p><p>“Your grace, congratulation. We are sure that soon enough the North will hear the good news that an heir is on his way,” Lord Dustin said and Ryswell nodded.</p><p>Sansa ignored the obvious innuendo that her position wasn’t completely secure until she had an heir.</p><p>“Thank you, my lords, I hope you enjoy the feast.”</p><p>“Yes, thank you we can’t complain.”</p><p><em>I am sure you would if you could</em>, Sansa thought.</p><p>The two lords called forward their servants and presented their gifts.</p><p>“A barrel of the finest salt, for her grace,” Lord Dustin said and Sansa knew exactly that it was meant as an insult considering Sansa had to make concessions to him that allowed him to make a fortune with the salt.</p><p>“And another barrel of the best fisher mans rum from the distilleries of the Stoney Coast.”</p><p>“Thank you, my lords, that’s most generous of you,” Sansa said kindly, hiding her true feeling behind her smile.</p><p>“Only the best for our beloved Queen,” they both said before bowing their heads and returning to their table.</p><p>Sansa looked after them and felt her heartbeat quicken at the thought how much she despised these two men. She was ripped from her thoughts when Sandor squeezed her hand.</p><p>“Everything alright, little bird?”</p><p>“Yes, I just don’t like these two men. They are the biggest threat to my rule. I had to make too many concessions in the last few years to them just to prevent them from rebelling against me.”</p><p>“I see,” he said. “Don’t let them spoil today. You want to dance?”</p><p>“You asking me to dance?” she asked surprised.</p><p>“Sure. I know you like it and if you can oversee me stepping on your toes once or twice, I will dance with you as often as you like,” he said.</p><p>“I love you,” Sansa said and she got up from her chair and she and Sandor opened the dance and dance for most of the evening only interrupted when the dessert was served.</p><p>The later it got, the more people started to leave for the night until the great hall had emptied considerably and they decided to take their leave for the night.</p><p> </p>
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  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p><p>As they walked up the stairway of the keep, they could see from the windows that the smallfolk were still celebrating though many of them had also already taken their leave already.</p><p>With every step they came closer to their rooms, Sansa felt herself get more excited. She felt Sandor was feeling the same. It had been so long for them that they had shared the bed together.</p><p>Sandor opened the door to their rooms and picked her up, making her giggle a little as he carried her into the chamber.</p><p>Talia had obviously left the feast for a moment to light up the fireplace and finish the decoration of the room before she had returned. The smell of the northern forests lingered in the room from the pine branches.</p><p>“Wine?” Sandor asked and Sansa nodded. Sandor poured them both a cup and handed it over to her.</p><p>She already felt warm from the wine she had already drunk tonight, but one cup more wouldn’t make any difference.</p><p>“You look so beautiful tonight,” Sandor rasped before he took a sip of her cup.</p><p>Sandor still could make her blush with so simple words and she smiled.</p><p>“You look great too tonight,” she said.</p><p>“Aye, but that is mainly because of the clothes you made for me.”</p><p>“You look stunning in them.”</p><p>“Well, I can’t look like a beggar, now that I am married to the Queen.”</p><p>“Aye, <em>my lord</em>,” Sansa said and smirked at him.</p><p>“That will still take some time to get used to…” he said and emptied his cup.</p><p>“You will get used to it and until then…” she said and gestured with her finger for him to kiss her.</p><p>He came over and cupped her cheek and kissed her making a warm feeling spread through her whole body.</p><p>“Let’s go over to the other room,” she said between kisses and already pushed him gently to the other room, while they continued to exchange kisses.</p><p>Sansa closed the bedroom door behind them and saw the bulge in Sandor’s breeches.</p><p>“It seems your little friend missed me as well,” she mused smirking.</p><p>“Aye, the last few months he missed your attention dearly,” he said as Sansa stepped closer.</p><p>“Is that so?” she asked and gently pushed him onto the bed. “Well, then I’ll have to make up for that.”</p><p>She took one pillow and placed it on the floor before she started to unlace his breeches.</p><p>“What would your subjects think of you if they knew what their queen is about to do?” he asked amused lifting his bum to allow her to pull down his breeches till they were around his ankles.</p><p>“Most of them envy you right now I imagine, but tonight I am not the queen any longer,” she said and put her crown she still had on her head aside. “Right now, I am just your little bird,” she added before letting her tongue travel from his balls up to his tip.</p><p>“Not so little anymore…” he moaned as she wrapped her soft lips around his hard cock. Sansa focused on his head, but soon enough Sandor gestured her to stop.</p><p>“Now it’s my turn,” Sandor said and started to unlace her dress slowly. Sansa helped him though because she couldn’t wait any longer to feel his touch on her skin without any fabric in between. Soon enough she felt the tips of his fingers explore her curves and not soon after she was on her back, while his face was buried between her thighs giving her all the pleasure her could give her with his mouth.</p><p>After all this long time it didn’t take long for her to reach her first peak and her hand grabbed the sheet as she rode out the waves of pleasure flooding through her body.</p><p>“Gods, little bird, you are soaked,” Sandor mused and his words only aroused her even more.</p><p>“Then why are you waiting?” she asked. “Your little bird is in need of her husband.”</p><p>Sandor crawled up to her and positioned himself between her legs and she felt him coat his cock in her juices before he slid into her in a fluent motion making her mouth fall agape at the feeling of him inside her.</p><p>Some fresh air was coming through the half-open window shutters and the nightly air felt cold on her sweat-dampened skin, as the only sound besides the cracking of the wood in the fireplace was the sound of their bodies meeting and her soft moans of pleasure as she approached her next peak.</p><p>Every time she looked at Sandor, she noticed how much he had to concentrate not to spill himself to early. He obviously tried his best to not finish before her.</p><p>She finally went over the edge and she softly moaned his name as he had buried his face in the crook of her neck peppering her throat with soft kisses. She was riding out the waves of pleasure as he slowed his movement to more focused long and deep thrusts.</p><p>She never felt happier than in this moment…she just wished…her family would still be around to see her this happy. But they were all gone…</p><p>Her father and mother and brothers long dead…Bran away in the south…Arya somewhere exploring the globe. She was lone in this world. She only had Sandor.</p><p>She felt tears well in her eyes and an involuntarily sob escaped her mouth.</p><p>Sandor immediately stopped his movement to look at her alarmed.</p><p>“Little bird, what’s wrong?” he softly asked. “Did I do something wrong?”</p><p>“No, no,” she said and smiled at him tears still running down her cheeks. “I am just so happy right now and then I got sad thinking about my family members who don’t live to see me find happiness.”</p><p>He cupped her cheek.</p><p>“Oh, little bird,” he said and stroked away some tears with his thumb, but the gentle feeling of his finger against her soft skin only made more tears come.</p><p>She felt him slip out of her and just embrace her with his strong arms holding her tightly against his body.</p><p>“Sandor, what are you doing?” she asked confused. “I don’t want you to stop.”</p><p>“I can’t go on with you crying underneath me,” he said.</p><p>“But I want you to find your pleasure as well,” she said. “I spoiled our wedding night, didn’t I?” she asked and felt more tears come at the thought.</p><p>“Ohh no, Sansa, don’t think that for a single moment. You didn’t spoil anything. Look at me, little bird,” he softly said. “You didn’t spoil anything. We had a nice day together today and it gave me enough pleasure to see you find your pleasure.”</p><p>He held her more tightly.</p><p>“Understandably, you have to think about your family on this day,” he said. “You know I am not much of a pious man, but I am sure they can see how happy you are from wherever the old or new gods took them.”</p><p>Sansa nodded and snuggled closer to him.</p><p>“I’ll make up for tonight during our honeymoon in my keep,” Sansa promised.</p><p>“Ohh we are going to have a honeymoon in your keep?” he asked smirking. “You didn’t tell me.”</p><p>“Because I just decided that we have one,” Sansa said laughing and he swiped away some last tears still on her cheeks.</p><p>“I look forward to that,” he said and kissed her deeply. “I love you.”</p><p>“I love you too, Sandor,” she said.</p><p>The rest of the night they spend snuggled up to each other, speaking about her family and his mother and sister and in the early hours of the morning they fell asleep in each other’s arms.</p>
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<a name="section0015"><h2>15. Sandor VI: Back Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The last few weeks he had spent in Sansa’s private keep had been incredible, but nevertheless, he was kind of glad they returned to Winterfell this morning. The last few weeks since the wedding had been spent sleeping into the days after long nights at the fireplace with wine before spending days riding out, having hunt sessions and having picnics around midday before returning for dinner. And of course, the countless times he had shared the bed with Sansa. As soon as they had reached the keep Sansa had basically dragged him to the bedroom and they hadn’t left the room for the rest of the day.</p>
<p>Gods, there had been days where they had done it three or four times and the little bird still had wanted him again. He didn’t mind it though, even though there were days he was literally worn out by his wife.</p>
<p>They hadn’t travelled immediately after the wedding. They had waited a few days until all guests had left Winterfell for good before they had started their honeymoon. But now Sansa had to return to her duties. The North didn’t rule itself and work was probably already piling up on her desk.</p>
<p>This morning they had road into the courtyard and Sansa had immediately gone to her solar and Sandor hadn’t seen her since. She hadn’t even joined him for lunch earlier. A lot of work must have awaited her.</p>
<p>Sandor looked up the keep where Sansa’s solar was located in the hope he might spot her at the window, but the window shutters were closed.</p>
<p>“My lord,” two guards said in union ripping him from his thoughts. He only grumbled as answer making Aberdolf laugh.</p>
<p>“I see you are still not used to being called ‘lord’, my lord,” he said.</p>
<p>“I’ll never be used to that,” Sandor said. “They might call me ‘lord’ but I’ll never be one. Neither by my appearance nor by my blood. My ancestors were kennel masters, that only got elevated by chance.”</p>
<p>“Yet, you are lordlier than many lords that came to your wedding and definitely lordlier than her graces last husband,” Aberdolf assured him.  </p>
<p>“That’s not that hard…”</p>
<p>“Yet, you are the only one that can actually make our Queen smile and that makes you better than anyone in the North.”</p>
<p>Sandor huffed. It was true. When Sansa was with him, she was able to let her queenly mask fall and be herself.</p>
<p>“Let’s see if the honeymoon and making our queen smile has made you slow, <em>my lord</em>,” Aberdolf added smirking handing Sandor a training sword.</p>
<p>Sandor looked back up to Sansa’s solar one more time before he took the sword to show Aberdolf that he was still capable of knocking him into the dust.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0016"><h2>16. Sansa X: Dark Wings. Dark Words</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sansa had gone to her solar immediately upon their arrival back in Winterfell. Her honeymoon with Sandor had been unforgettable, but her duty as Queen never stop so she had expected that a lot of work was already waiting for her return. And a lot of work had awaited her indeed.</p>
<p>When she had entered her solar, she had already seen the pile of letters and scrolls waiting for her to be read. Sansa had first sorted the letters in three piles; one for letters from the south, another for petitions of the smallfolk and the third for petitions of northern houses.</p>
<p>Until lunchtime, she had only read letters from the South. Most of them weren’t really important. Many of them were just further congratulatory letters from houses that either hadn’t made it to her wedding or small or even some bigger houses that hadn’t been invited in the first place, who probably hoped to gain her attention by congratulating her.</p>
<p>She only answered a few of them, because many of them were just wanting to gain a foothold in the North before she turned her attention to the pile of petitions from the smallfolk. So many had pilled up during her absence that she even skipped lunch with Sandor and Talia instead bring her a plate of the hearty stew the cooks had made for lunch today.</p>
<p>Sansa made sure to take her time with every single petition. These people had come here to see here and, in her absence, told Maester Wolkan her needs and if he couldn’t decide for her because the matter was too delicate written down their wish for her to decide.</p>
<p>More or less all of them got their wishes fulfilled in one way or another and she had just finished the last of the petitions and handed them over to Maester Wolkan to be sent to the petitioners.</p>
<p>“I call for you when I am done with the remaining letters,” Sansa told the Maester as he left with the letter she had already answered.</p>
<p>“Of course, your grace,” he said and closed the door behind him.</p>
<p>Sansa got up from her desk and went over to the table to pour herself a cup of water. She needed a short break before she would start with the really important letters. The ones where politic was involved.</p>
<p>She took a sip and sighed seeing how many letters awaited her…</p>
<p>Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the sound of steel blades meeting down in the courtyard. She walked over to the window and looked down into the yard seeing several of her guardsmen spar.</p>
<p>She immediately spotted Sandor between them exchanging blows with Aberdolf. She smiled at the view of her husband still being able to swiftly move on his feet. He was strong and more than capable to fight, even though some probably already whisper he was past his prime, but she knew it better.</p>
<p>Sansa placed her right hand on her lower belly and felt a wave of sadness rush through her. The amount of work hadn’t been the only reason why she had chosen to avoid Sandor today. Her moonblood had started on their way back and she didn’t want Sandor to see that she was slightly disappointed that she wasn’t with child yet. It wasn’t like that she hadn’t enjoyed the countless times she had shared the bed with Sandor during their honeymoon, but nevertheless, she had hoped it would result in her being with child when she returned to Winterfell.</p>
<p>The sooner it would happen the sooner her own family line would be established and the North would be safe.</p>
<p>She just didn’t want Sandor to feel like it was his fault in some way that she wasn’t carrying a child under her heart yet. She didn’t want him to feel unworthy of her again, now that she felt he finally started to feel more comfortable in his role as her husband and prince consort, even though she still enjoyed very much how he still disliked being called a lord.</p>
<p>Sandor had just beaten Aberdolf into the dust making Sansa chuckle before she turned her attention back to the letters on her table.</p>
<p>She broke the seals of the first few and was happy that most of them seemed to be further congratulations as well rather than actual requests.</p>
<p>A few minor lords congratulated her to her wedding and apologized they hadn’t made it. Lord Manderly had sent word that a few merchants from Pentos had established a new trade route between Essos and White Harbor and that the North would greatly profit from the trade with spices and wood.</p>
<p>Sansa was happy to read that. Lord Manderly always did his best to establish new trading routes and opportunities for export of northern goods. Her mood shifted though when she saw that she had once again received a letter from Lord Dustin.</p>
<p>She didn’t even have to open it to know that it ones again contained demands to weaken her position, but this time he wouldn’t get his will.</p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0017"><h2>17. Sandor VII: Pillow Talk</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sandor spared with Aberdolf until the sun was starting to go down slowly and the courtyard was dived into the reddish light of the sun going down. He was hungry from all the training, but luckily the bell had already rung indicating that soon dinner would be held in the great hall.</p><p>He quickly went to the bathhouse and washed off the dust and sweat before he went to his room to get fresh clothes. Sandor had hoped to meet Sansa there but he met Talia on the way up the keep telling him Sansa had already gone to the great hall.</p><p>Sandor quickly changed his clothes and went to the great hall where Sansa was already sitting at the high table.</p><p>Sansa smiled up at him when he took his seat next to her.</p><p>“Am I late?” he asked.</p><p>“No, you are just in time,” she answered. “How was your day?” she asked.</p><p>“Pretty exhausting. I trained a lot with Aberdolf. Yours?”</p><p>“Same. Many letters and petitions,” she said taking a sip from her cup.</p><p>Servants brought the food and Sandor enjoyed his meat and gravy served in a whole loaf of bread.</p><p>During the dinner, Sandor noticed that his wife seemed to be distracted by something, but she said everything was alright, even though she didn’t nearly talk as much as usual with today's guest of the small folk.</p><p>Sansa had revived her father’s tradition of inviting one of Winterfell’s servants to the high table to talk about their life and what could be done to make it better.</p><p>Today Rodrik was with them. He was the blacksmith of Winterfell and as far as Sansa had told him did a good job following their former blacksmith Mikken, who had been murdered when the Ironborn had taken the castle.</p><p>Usually, Sansa chatted lengthy with her subjects, but today she mostly listened and it fell to Sandor to carry the conversation from their side. Normally Sansa used to talk with her guests until late in the evening, but tonight she excused herself shortly after the dessert and left for their rooms.</p><p>Even Rodrik noticed that something seemed to be on Sansa’s mind, so Sandor excused her by telling her she didn’t feel well today.</p><p>Sandor stayed after Sansa had left. It wouldn’t have been fair towards Rodrik if he wouldn’t get his evening to talk about what was on his mind.</p><p>Rodrik talked about his work and how many weapons he had forged for the armory in the last couple of months. Sandor listened and asked him what Rodrik suggested to work more efficiently.</p><p>“Well, m’ lord, I had the idea for a larger forge, so I might take in more apprentices to teach them the craftmanship. And it would also help to have more forges to work on different things at the same time.”</p><p>“I see,” Sandor said. “How many forges do you have in mind?”</p><p>“At least two more. One for horseshoes and other things made from iron, one for weapons and another one for making high-quality steel.”</p><p>“I’ll suggest it to her grace,” Sandor said. “I am sure she will be in favor of that.”</p><p>“Thanks, m’lord.”</p><p>“It’s getting late,” Sandor said. “I’ll leave for the night as well.”</p><p>“Have a good night, m’ lord, and thank you for listening.”</p><p>Sandor left the great hall and went up the keep to their room and when he entered, he saw Sansa sit at her dressing table brushing out her hair.</p><p>Sansa turned around and smiled at him.</p><p>“I am sorry I left so early I didn’t feel well,” she said apologetically.</p><p>“That’s what I told Rodrik,” Sandor said and kissed his wife on the cheek. “He has some interesting ideas for the forge.”</p><p>“I am sure of that,” Sansa said putting down her brush.</p><p>“Little birds, what is it? You seem to be distracted today.”</p><p>“I have some decisions to make and I am not sure what to do,” Sansa said.</p><p>Sandor poured them a cup of ale and offered the cup to Sansa.</p><p>“Then why don’t you talk to me and you hear my thoughts on it? Isn’t that also why you married me? So, I can listen to your thoughts?”</p><p>“Aye,” Sansa said and sat down in the chair near the fireplace where Talia had already lit a fire spreading warmth in the room. “You remember Lord Dustin and Ryswell from our wedding?”</p><p>“Aye, they had something that rubs me in the wrong place.”</p><p>“They are a pain in my ass since I the day I got on the throne. They keep demanding better trading conditions and tax reductions and other things and so far, I always had to give in to their wishes in one way or another.”</p><p>“Why?”</p><p>“Because they knew I was weak. I had to establish my rule first. The houses knew my father’s rule, I had to establish myself first. I couldn’t pressure them in line, because I neither had an army or someone to lead that army myself and I couldn’t appear weak in public by asking other houses to call the banner if I had no men to partake in a potential military intervention. And I didn’t dare to provoke confrontation until I had an heir to strengthen my position. I might be their Queen but for many, I am still just Ned Starks daughter…a weak girl.”</p><p>“You couldn’t be farther from being weak. Have they all forgotten what you did during winter for them?”</p><p>“Of course, they have. That was winter now that summer is coming the game of thrones is back again as always.”</p><p>“Then what are you going to do against their grab for power?”</p><p>“That’s what I don’t know. I only know I refused their last demands of no taxation for this whole year. I won’t have it anymore. If I don’t shut them up soon the next will think they can demand these kinds of things.”</p><p>“What would your father have done if somebody would have demanded something of him that audacious?”</p><p>Sansa thought about that for a few seconds looking into the fire cracking in the fireplace taking a long sip of her ale.</p><p>“He would give them one chance to pay their debt and if not then face the consequences,” Sansa said calm and collected. “Then this shall be the course I take as well.”</p><p>“Aye, you are the red wolf. The queen in the north and they should know their place,” Sandor said and Sansa smiled at his words.</p><p>They emptied their cups and prepared for bed. Sandor was already under the warm furs as Sansa was still braiding her hair for the night before she joined him as well.</p><p>She snuggled up to his side and placed her head onto his chest.</p><p>“Any other important letters, besides the ones you told me about?” Sandor asked.</p><p>“No, why do you ask?” she said stroking lightly with her hand over his torso.</p><p>“Because you spent the whole day in your solar, so I assumed there were many important letters.”</p><p>“No, there weren’t that many important letters. I just…my moonblood came as we were on our way back this morning…” she said and Sandor heard the underlying sadness of her words and he realized that she had hoped that she would be with child already after their honeymoon.</p><p>“Little bird…” Sandor said and held her a little more tightly.</p><p>“I wanted some time alone, so you don’t think I somehow blame you…” she said.</p><p>“But you aren’t to blame either, little bird. I mean the gods know we tried a lot…like really a lot during our honeymoon,” Sandor said. “If it didn’t work this time it will work the next month…or the one after that.”</p><p>“And what if it will never work?” she asked. “I heard of women before who could never get with child after they endured the same things as I did…”</p><p>Sandor swallowed. He had heard enough stories of his brother’s crimes to know that he had left too many women scarred for life and unable to bring new life into this world.</p><p>“Little bird, you shouldn’t think of that possibility. You are still so young and we got a lot of time to try again. Just because it didn’t work this month you shouldn’t expect the worse already.”</p><p>“You are right…still…I can’t wait to finally carry your child under my heart and have a family <em>again</em> with <em>you</em>.”</p><p>“And I couldn’t think of a better mother for child.”</p><p>“I love you, Sandor.”</p><p>“I love you too, Sansa.”</p><p>“Tomorrow I’ll send men to Lord Dustin and Ryswell to collect the taxes and tell them if they don’t pay, they will have to face the consequences.”</p><p>“Aye,” Sandor said and yawned. “But until then we might sleep and dream of our future children.”</p><p>“I’d like that,” Sansa said and kissed him good night before they both closed their eyes for the night.</p><p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0018"><h2>18. Sansa XI: The price a Queen has to pay</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Sorry for the delayed update, but I was pretty busy finishing my Bachelor thesis, but now its done, handed in and my master started. So I hope that in the future I'll be able to update more frequently :)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sansa held court today. It had been too long since the last time he had held court. It had probably been before her wedding which was nearly two months ago now. She barely remembered which told her enough that it was more than overdue to allow the smallfolk to bring forth their problems.</p>
<p>Sansa had sent a delegation of Winterfell’s guard to Lord Dustin and Lord Ryswell castles the day after she had talked with Sandor about it. They had orders to collect the taxes and underline the new reality that they wouldn’t get any special treatment any longer.</p>
<p>Sansa had not heard anything about their success yet, but she had trust in them.</p>
<p>Aberdolf had suggested his most trusted men to her for this task. Still, she would rather have an answer already.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, she had listened to her smallfolk’s needs the whole morning and she finally started to see an end to her court session as she noticed that only a handful of her subjects were still waiting to bring forth their requests.</p>
<p>At least she didn’t have to speak law today. There had been no criminals been present to be judged and most of the petitions had just been casual requests of her allowance for marriages and requests to get wood from her forests.</p>
<p>She was just listening to the petition of a carpenter from Wintertown when Sandor entered the great hall and walked straight up to her sitting on the throne bending down to her ear.</p>
<p>“Lord Flint just arrived,” he whispered into her ear.</p>
<p>“Really?” she asked slightly surprised. She hadn’t expected any noble guests least Lord Flint. “Tell him we will meet in my solar after I am done here. Can you see to it that they are shown to the guest rooms and have everything they might need?”</p>
<p>“Of course,” Sandor said and took his leave before Sansa turned her attention back to the carpenter.</p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p>
<p>As she entered her solar Lord Flint was already awaiting her with Sandor and much to her surprise Lord Flint’s wife was also present. She hadn’t seen Lady Mara Flint since her wedding. She had not joined her husband for Sansa’s wedding due to her being with child at the time of the wedding. She was holding a small bundle in her arms and Sansa saw small hands grab after Lady Flint's braids.</p>
<p>“My Lord and Lady Flint, I didn’t expect your visit, but I see you brought another member of your house with you. Congratulations,” Sansa said.</p>
<p>“Aye our visit wasn’t exactly planned but we wanted to introduce you to the heir of House Flint of the Mountains, Edric Flint. My wife and I would like to ask you if you would honor our house by becoming his godmother,” Lord Flint respectfully asked.</p>
<p>“I feel honored that you come to me with this request and I will happily accept it,” Sansa said.</p>
<p>“You want to hold him, your grace?” Lady Flint asked and already handed her the bundle. It had been ages since she had held a so small human. It had probably been after her mother had given birth to Rickon. She was stroking the baby’s cheek with her index and Edric smiled up.</p>
<p>Sansa turned to Sandor and she saw how warm he smiled at her holding the baby.</p>
<p>Holding the heir of Lord Flint and seeing Sandor smile at her like that only wanted her to start her own family sooner than later. She decided that she needed to have Sandor <em>tonight</em>.</p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p>
<p>During dinner with the Flints in the great hall Maester Wolkan approached them telling her that her men had returned and the officer immediately went to her.</p>
<p>“And?” Sansa asked. “Did they pay their taxes?”</p>
<p>“No, your grace,” the guardsman said. “We told them they would face the consequences of their decision, but…”</p>
<p>“But what, speak freely,” Sansa said.</p>
<p>“Lord Ryswell said the consequences couldn’t be worse than what Ramsay Boltons and Lord Dustin gave me a letter for you.”</p>
<p>“He handed the letter to her and Sansa dismissed the man after thanking him for his service. The officer bowed his head and left the great hall.</p>
<p>Sansa opened the letter and calmly read the insulting words without showing a public reaction. This letter was just the last straw that was needed to take action against these two rebelling houses because the words had basically been a declaration of rebellion against the crown.</p>
<p>Sansa folded the letter and took a sip from her cup.</p>
<p>“Your grace, what did the letter say?” Lord Flint asked carefully.</p>
<p>Sansa called over Maester Wolkan and while the old man walked over from the other side of the hall, she turned to the lord of the mountains.</p>
<p>“Are you with House Stark?” Sansa asked.</p>
<p>“Always, my Queen. House Flint will always stand at your side,” he assured her.</p>
<p>“Your grace?” Maester Wolkan asked.</p>
<p>“Send ravens to House Manderly, Glover, Karstark, and Umber and call the banners. House Dustin and Ryswell are in rebellion against us over the taxation. Time to show them their place,” Sansa said seriously. “Can I count on your men, Lord Flint?”</p>
<p>“Of course, your grace. I’ll send a raven to my castle immediately.”</p>
<p>“I thank you,” Sansa said and turned her attention back to the other people in the hall still feasting and drinking, not paying much attention to the game of thrones that had just unfolded at the high table.</p>
<p>Sandor took her hand under the table and pressed it lightly, assuring her she was doing the right thing. She gave him a short smile before she took a sip from her cup.</p>
<p>Sansa had hoped she could prevent this conflict if an heir would give her reign security, but the game had moved forward and Sansa had to react to it.</p>
<p>This war is the price she had to pay for her reign.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0019"><h2>19. Sandor VIII: On the march</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sandor still could feel Sansa’s soft lips on his as she had kissed him goodbye even though that kiss had been two weeks ago. The answers for Sansa’s call to arms had come soon and every house she had written had sent at least a few hundred men. With the seven hundred men of Winterfell, they had now more than enough men to face everything House Ryswell and Dustin might lead onto the field.</p>
<p>Especially with Lord Manderly’s three hundred heavy cavalrymen. Sandor was sure that they would return home soon.</p>
<p>Luckily there had been no problem when Sansa had announced that Sandor would be the head of the army. It seemed like all lords that stood loyal to Sansa did not doubt that the husband of their queen was capable enough to lead their army.</p>
<p>While they had the numerical advantage Sandor still didn’t want to risk any unwanted surprises and had sent scouts ahead of them to check for any ambushes or enemy movement.</p>
<p>The latest reports he had gotten showed that Lord Dustin and Lord Ryswell seemed to be taken aback that Sansa had called the banners and actually stood up against them.</p>
<p>Sandor couldn’t wait to see their faces when they stood in front of their castles to get them to bend the knee.</p>
<p>The weather was good and it was expected that they would reach Barrowton in less than two weeks.</p>
<p>While some of the Lords were eager for blood to show their queen how loyal they were, Sandor instead hoped that just them appearing with Sansa’s army in front of their castles would do the trick.</p>
<p>“The weather is good,” Aberdolf said riding next to him. He was the only one of the men he knew better and yes even considered to be a friend.</p>
<p>“Aye.”</p>
<p>Aberdolf chuckled.</p>
<p>“What’s so funny?” Sandor asked.</p>
<p>“The Queen was right; you really aren’t much of a talker.”</p>
<p>“If someone knows it’s the Queen,” Sandor said. “She knows me the best.”</p>
<p>“Aye, but it seems you are in return also the only one to truly know our Queen.”</p>
<p>Was he really the one who truly knew Sansa? There weren’t many people left who knew Sansa that close as he did and he had been the only one to see her grow up in King’s Landing and become the person she is today.</p>
<p>“I am glad the Queen married you. During her whole reign, I haven’t seen her as happy as she was since you came with us.”</p>
<p>“It makes me happy to know that our Queen is happy. She deserves all happiness she can get in this life after all the tragedy that accompanied her in her youth on her way to the throne,” Sandor said.</p>
<p>“Aye, a happy Queen is a good thing for the North.”</p>
<p>“I’ll do my best to keep her happy as long as possible,” Sandor said as he saw a rider of the scouting party ride up to them.</p>
<p>“My lord,” he said. “We spotted a combined host of Lord Dustin and Ryswell two days away from here. It looks like they don’t know how close we already are.”</p>
<p>“Then we use that to our advantage and attack before they are prepared,” Sandor said to Aberdolf. “Get the other Lords we have the battle to plan.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0020"><h2>20. Sansa XII: Waiting</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>With every day that passed Sansa felt more restless waiting for any kind of message that might give her any information about Sandor’s and his army’s whereabouts.</p>
<p>It had been weeks since Sandor had left with their men and the other lords that had sworn to support her in this short campaign. While she had trust in her husband’s skills as a warrior in war nevertheless men could die by a random arrow no matter what rank or talent they had.</p>
<p>At first, Sansa had busied herself with as much work as possible to distract her, but at the moment there wasn’t much she had to do. She tried to distract herself with sewing Sandor a new warmer tunic, but that distraction had barely lasted a week until she had been done with it. She asked herself what her mother had done to distract herself when Sansa’s father had left for war against the Mad King at King Robert's side and later against Theon’s.</p>
<p>Sansa caught herself standing at her solar’s window for hours sometimes just watching the people in the courtyard below do their daily business or watch the surrounding lands of Winterfell until the sun disappeared behind the horizon.</p>
<p>During these long hours, she often felt the heavy burden of her position on her shoulders and rested her hand on her lower belly. It wasn’t yet a whole new cycle since she last time had bleed before she and Sandor had shared the bed one last time before he had left for war and Sansa hoped that this time her seed had taken root in her.</p>
<p>Her mother had already been with child right after her wedding night and could watch her belly grow with Robb while she had awaited her husband's return. And during the Greyjoy rebellion, she had already had her and Robb to distract herself besides also being pregnant with Arya at the time.</p>
<p>Sansa didn’t even want to think about what she would do if Sandor wouldn’t return and her not being with child…</p>
<p>Sansa banned that thought back out of her mind and focused back on the court session she was currently holding. Her subjects deserved her whole attention after such a long way some people had walked to tell her about their problems.</p>
<p>Luckily today not many people had come and it was late afternoon when she was already done with court and returned to her private rooms.</p>
<p>As she entered, she saw Talia just starting a new fire.</p>
<p>“Your grace,” Talia said doing a quick curtsey. “Can I bring you something?”</p>
<p>“A tea would be nice,” Sansa said.</p>
<p>“Of course, your grace,” Talia said and finished her work starting the fire before she left the room.</p>
<p>Sansa sat down on her chair and closed her eyes for a moment and enjoyed the warmth from the fire until Talia came back into the room after knocking on the door with a tray containing a pod of tea, an empty cup, and a small jar of honey. The smell of mint left spread in the room.</p>
<p>“Your grace, the cooks made fresh lemon cakes as a surprise for her grace.”</p>
<p>Sansa smiled up at this small gesture from the kitchen.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Talia,” Sansa said. “Would you mind staying with me for a while?”</p>
<p>“Of course not, your grace,” Talia said kindly.</p>
<p>“Take a seat if you like,” Sansa said. “Tea?”</p>
<p>“Thank you, your grace, but I didn’t bring a second cup.”</p>
<p>“Don’t worry,” Sansa said and went to her bedroom where she still had her water cup from last night.</p>
<p>Sansa poured tea into the fresh cup and handed it to her handmaiden before she filled her water cup.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” Talia said.</p>
<p>Sansa added a little honey to her tea and took a sip. Talia followed her lead.</p>
<p>“Have you heard anything new about the war, your grace?” Talia asked. Of course, Talia also had an interest in news about it. After all her husband was serving at Sandor’s side.</p>
<p>“Unfortunately, not,” Sansa said in honest and tried her best to not show how nervous she was about the whole lack of information.</p>
<p>“I am sure everything will be alright,” Talia said.</p>
<p>“Yes, but still I’d be happier if I had heard anything,” Sansa said and stretched her neck a little.</p>
<p>“Can I suggest a hot bath? It will help with your neck, your grace,” Talia suggested kindly.</p>
<p>“That sounds nice,” Sansa said but stopped Talia when she wanted to stand up. “But please don’t hurry. Finish your tea first. I insist.”</p>
<p>After her handmaiden had finished her cup she left and returned shortly after with a handful of other servants carrying a copper tub and buckets of hot water.</p>
<p>The other servants left and Talia helped her to unlace her dress and Sansa slowly sank into the tub.</p>
<p>Sansa sighed at the soothing heat surrounding her.</p>
<p>“You were right. The heat helped with my neck.”</p>
<p>“That’s good, your grace. You have such a heavy burden on your shoulders,” Talia said.</p>
<p>“And I am mostly alone with it,” Sansa whispered more to herself than her handmaiden.</p>
<p>“That’s not true your grace,” Talia said kindly. “You have many people at your side.”</p>
<p>“I have many at my side, but I don’t have any real friends,” Sansa said.</p>
<p>“Your grace has your husband, sister, and brother,” Talia said.</p>
<p>“They are family…they aren’t what people consider friends.”</p>
<p>“You have Lords like Manderly, Flint, or Lady Karstark…” Talia said, but Sansa interrupted her.</p>
<p>“They are loyal to me, but not my friends. They are my subjects and only my ‘friends’ as long as my decisions are to their benefits…It is not easy to make friends when everybody tries to gain something through you and I had that before...”</p>
<p>Sansa had to think of Margaery. She had been her <em>friend</em> for a while…until Sansa didn’t have any use for House Tyrell any longer…and then there had been Shae…</p>
<p>Shae who had been so kind to her at times and had taken care of her when she had flowered and beaten in the court. Sansa had thought her a friend too and felt bad that she hadn’t thought of her for a long time after she had escaped King’s Landing thanks to Littlefinger, only to be told by Lord Tyrion that she had been his mistress the whole time. Even though Tyrion hadn’t confirmed it Sansa was pretty sure Shae had been spying on her in his name.</p>
<p>“But you had a true friend before didn’t you, your grace?” Talia asked curiously kneeling behind the tub starting to wash Sansa’s hair.</p>
<p>“Yes, I once had a friend. Jeyne was her name…Jeyne Poole…”</p>
<p>Sansa nearly choked on the emotions her old friend's name caused. She had been so close with Jeyne as they had been girls. Back in the days, Jeyne had basically been the sister Sansa had wished Arya to be. She had never learned what had happened to Jeyne after she had been taken from her rooms by the Lannister’s after her father’s household had been massacred. At first, Sansa had often asked herself what had happened to her friend, but with the time passing she had slowly made her peace with the thought that her friend must have been dead like everyone else she had once known and so the memories of her friend had slowly faded away until the memories of her former dear friend were nothing left but something that could easily have been a dream.</p>
<p>“Who was she, your grace, if the question is allowed?” Talia asked carefully.</p>
<p>“She was the daughter of my father's steward. She was my closest friend when I was a young girl. We both loved the stories of fair maidens and brave knights and dreamed of marrying a handsome prince to have his babies and live in a beautiful castle, spending our days sewing and embroidering surrounded by our children. Childish dreams…”</p>
<p>“What happened to her?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know. I really don’t know,” Sansa said and felt a wave of sadness rush through her body. “She went with us south, when my father was appointed Hand of the King by King Robert and when our household was murdered by the Lannister’s at the start of Joffrey’s reign we were kept together for a while in my room. Then they took her away and I never saw her again. She had most likely been murdered like everyone else.”</p>
<p>“I am sorry, your grace. I didn’t want to wake up any bad memories of yours.”</p>
<p>“I know. It’s alright.”</p>
<p>“Your grace?” Talia asked quietly washing out the soap she had added to Sansa's hair.</p>
<p>“Yes?”</p>
<p>“I don’t know if you consider me to be a friend of yours, but I’d be more than happy to be your friend.”</p>
<p>Sansa sat up in the tub and turned around to her handmaiden.</p>
<p>“I do consider you to a friend, but I didn’t dare to tell you this, because I didn’t know how you felt about this topic. And I know well enough that servants even though close to their master don’t dare to deny them anything.”</p>
<p>Sansa smiled.</p>
<p>“I’d be more than happy to have you as my friend Talia. I feel our husbands already are friends.”</p>
<p>“Aye, Aberdolf often talked about her grace’s husband like an old friend.”</p>
<p>“Please, you can call me Sansa when we are here in private.”</p>
<p>“Thank you, Sansa, and I ensure you that I will never betray your friendship.”</p>
<p>“I know. You already have proven that more than enough with my past male visitors before Sandor returned to me. Your discretion was more than appreciated.”</p>
<p>Sansa was done with her bath and Talia helped her out and handed her the dressing robe after drying up. Sansa sat down at her dressing table and Talia helped her brush her hair when the bell announced that dinner would soon be ready.</p>
<p>“I don’t know if you have any plans, but would you like to have dinner with me tonight?” Sansa asked.</p>
<p>“I’d be delighted, your grace.”</p>
<p>“Sansa,” Sansa corrected her smiling.</p>
<p>“Sansa,” Talia said smiling.</p>
<p> </p>

<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p>
<p>“Really?” Sansa asked laughing taking a sip of her cup.</p>
<p>“Yes, he was so excited that I agreed to marry him that he jumped around and slipped on a frozen puddle sending him right into the mud,” Talia said equally laughing.</p>
<p>They had spent the majority of the evening having dinner in Sansa’s private rooms. During these hours Sansa realized how much she had missed having a friend she could chatter with. While Sansa talked about her time in King’s Landing and how she had first met Sandor, Talia talked about her family and the latest gossip going around within the castle walls of Winterfell.</p>
<p>It was interesting to hear what was going on within her home that she hadn’t even noticed even though she had always believed she had a picture of everything was going on.</p>
<p>They had somehow ended up on the topic of their marriages and Talia had just told her about the day Aberdolf had proposed to her.</p>
<p>“It’s nice to see you laugh. Usually, you only smile when you are with your husband,” Talia said.</p>
<p>“Yes, probably because he makes me truly happy. Happier in truth than I ever hoped to be again.”</p>
<p>“Everybody can see that and the people of Winterfell are happy for you.”</p>
<p>Sansa smiled at the thought that the people in this castle were happy for her.</p>
<p>“And I am sure you will soon enough announce that a prince or a princess is on the way,” Talia said.</p>
<p>“Aye, rather sooner than later I hope, but Sandor and I do the best to make it happen,” Sansa said chuckling lightly.</p>
<p>“So, I assume he is better than all the other guests you had as well?” Talia asked curiously with a raised eyebrow.</p>
<p>“Ohh yes…I knew from gossip that sharing the bed with the right man could be nice, but gods…Sandor excites my boldest expectations,” Sansa said in honest and felt her face warm up just speaking about it.</p>
<p>“That good?” Talia asked.</p>
<p>“Ohh yes, I don’t recall not being able to find my completion with him once,” Sansa mused. “I hope Aberdolf knows his ways around your body as well?”</p>
<p>“Well…he for sure does his best,” Talia said a little awkwardly. “I wouldn’t say he manages to make me sing every time, but often enough.”</p>
<p>Talia lifted her cup.</p>
<p>“To our loving husbands,” she announced and Sansa raised her cup when someone knocked on the door.</p>
<p>Talia rose from her seat and opened the door. Maester Wolkan was standing on the other side with a letter in his hands.</p>
<p>Sansa involuntarily felt her heart speed up.</p>
<p>“Your grace a rider arrived bringing a letter from Lord Sandor,” Wolkan said and Sansa sighed relieved. If the letter was from Sandor it meant he wasn’t dead.</p>
<p>“Thank you, Maester,” Sansa said and Talia took the letter before she closed the door again after Wolkan nodded.</p>
<p>She handed Sansa the letter and she broke the seal and started to read. She smiled up when she saw that Sandor didn’t waste any time in his letter.</p>
<p>
  <em>“Little Bird, you know I am not that good with words so I make it short. We swiftly crushed Lord Dustin's and Ryswells army before it was prepared and laid siege to Barrowtown. The town handed over the town keys two days later along with Lord Dustin and Ryswell in chains. I send a rider ahead with this letter so you know we are all well. We barely lost any men in the battle. When you read this, we are already on our way back. Yours, Sandor.”</em>
</p>
<p>Sansa told Talia about the content of the letter and they both were happy that this war had come to such a quick end.</p>
<p>When Talia asked what she now would do with the rebelling lords Sansa didn’t have an answer yet, but she still had some time to figure something out until Sandor arrived back home.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0021"><h2>21. Sandor IX: The Queen's Justice</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sansa looked very much the Queen she was when Sandor walked towards the throne in the great hall, where Sansa was awaiting them.</p><p>Lords, knights, and smallfolk filled the hall stepping aside when Sandor approached them, making a path towards the throne. Aberdolf was walking behind them leading Lord Ryswell and Dustin chained up behind him.</p><p>Sandor had to suppress the urge to walk up to Sansa and kiss her. It had been too long since the last time he had been close to her. She looked more radiant than ever,</p><p>Sansa's face was emotionless as she watched them approach her. Sandor stopped a few paces away from her and bowed his head. At this moment he was nothing more than her loyal servant. Not her husband.</p><p>“Your grace, we bring you Lord Dustin and Lord Ryswell to await the Queen's justice for their rebellion against you,” Sandor announced.</p><p>Sansa gestured with her right hand to bring the two lords forth.</p><p>Aberdolf pulled on the chains and dragged the two lords forward.</p><p>“Down on your knees,” Sandor growled and the two men got onto their knees. Neither one of them dared to look directly at Sansa. Instead, they starred at the stony floor.</p><p>Deep inside Sandor enjoyed seeing these two men on their knees in front of Sansa.</p><p>“You two brought shame to your houses and the North,” Sansa said frostily. “You broke the peace I established in the North and endangered the unity that protects the North from external enemies.”</p><p>The two men said nothing.</p><p>“Look at your Queen when she is talking to you!” Sandor growled and pushed Lord Ryswell more forcefully than he had intended against Lord Dustin.</p><p>The two men looked at Sansa.</p><p>“You have anything to say to defend your rebellion?” Sansa asked.</p><p>Lord Dustin looked for a moment like he wanted to say something but obviously decided against it when he had already opened his mouth.</p><p>“That’s what I thought,” Sansa said and raised from her throne walking towards them stopping a meter away from them. “Big words come easy when you are in your own castle, but cowards show their true face when confronted with the person they try to insult.”</p><p>Lord Ryswell’s face was bright red. From anger or from being shamed openly in front of every Lord and Lady of the North, Sandor couldn’t tell.</p><p>“What shall be your punishment?” Sansa asked rhetorically. “The traditional punishment for rebellion in the North is death…”</p><p>“You don’t dare that!” Lord Dustin spat. Sansa stopped in her movement and the whole hall was so quiet you would have heard a needle drop.</p><p>Sansa turned to the man who had just <em>again</em> questioned her authority.</p><p>“I don’t dare?” Sansa asked. “Sandor take his head.”</p><p>Without a second thought, Sandor drew his sword and lifted it to swing. Mid swing he suddenly heard Sansa's voice to stop. His blade stopped mere inches away from his neck leaving the Lord in shock and the gathered crowed exhaling and audible gasp.</p><p>“Be sure, I dare to sentence you to die if it pleases me,” Sansa said as cold as the snow. Sandor had never seen Sansa like this before. She was every inch the Queen she just needed to be in this moment. No weakness.</p><p>“But you two won’t die today,” Sansa said and turned her attention away from the two lords on their knees and instead focused on the gathered people.</p><p>“The North had always been a place where Houses stood together to face problems and dangers together. A place where one neighbor helped another in times of need. I intend to introduce reforms to the North that display these values up to court. In the future, the crown council will have its permanent seat here in Winterfell where we will work out the matters of the North together. In the coming weeks, I will announce the Lords and Ladies who will have their seat in the council and you can be sure that no house will be treated privileged.”</p><p>The gathered Lords seemed to be open and pleased by that announcement, as far as Sandor could interpret from their faces and reactions they showed.</p><p>Sansa faced Lord Dustin and Ryswell.</p><p>“But you two won’t have any advantages from these reforms. Your houses will have no say in any matter important to the North. Your houses will only get the crumbs left by the other houses. I will not take your life, but I will take what is far more important to men like you. I will take away the future you intended for your houses. Your current sons and future sons will be fostered by Lords of my choice to raise them to loyal men of the North that value the unity of the North above personal ambitions and your daughters will be fostered at house Mormont and Karstark until their fifteenth nameday. Then they will serve as a lady-in-waiting at the court until they find fitting husbands.”</p><p>Sandor watched the two beaten lords as everything they had ever worked on crumble right before their eyes.</p><p>“Be sure your children will be cared for and won’t be mistreated. I personally guarantee this to you. I am not my father so I won’t use your children as a guarantee for your loyalty, as my father had done with Theon Greyjoy by order of King Robert. If you dare to rebel again, your children won’t be harmed, but your houses will be ended. Your family's name will fade away with each of your daughters marrying and your sons will never again rise above the rank of a landed knight.”</p><p>Sansa sat down on her throne again.</p><p>“This is my judgment,” she announced and Sandor was the first to raise his sword.</p><p>“The Queen in the North!” he yelled and Aberdolf followed his lead before every other man in the great hall followed their lead.</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p><p>After court, Sansa had more or less demanded private time with him even though the Lords that had fought for her in the war wanted to praise her judgment and reforms first. Sansa didn’t want to have any of that bootlicking. She had wanted him and as soon as they had reached their private rooms, she had started to pull on his clothes to get him out of them as quick as possible.</p><p>Sandor didn’t mind. He had missed her dearly in the nearly three months this campaign had taken.</p><p>They both had been naked before they had even reached their bed and Sansa had playfully pushed him onto the soft furs and immediately straddled him. Sansa had missed their physical contact as well because she had never before ridden him that wildly.</p><p>Sandor had trouble holding himself from finishing too fast after these months of being separated, but he lasted just long enough for her to find her completion before he filled her womb with his seed.</p><p>“My gods little bird,” Sandor rasped still trying to catch his breath, while Sansa still laid spread over his chest breathing into the crook of his neck.</p><p>Sansa chuckled lightly and she rolled off him, but immediately snuggling up to him.</p><p>“It seems we both have missed each other,” she said.</p><p>“Aye,” he said. “That was a good speech you held.”</p><p>“Thanks,” she said and licked her lip. “I just wasn’t sure if my judgment might be too cruel. I mean… after all I was once also ‘fostered’ at court.”</p><p>“You cannot compare that. You were a prisoner to be mistreated by that blond little shit and his cunt of mother, but your guests will be actual guests to be raised the right way.”</p><p>“Aye, I had to do it. If I had the two executed one of their sons would sooner or later have tried to avenge their father’s death and by this, we would more or less have the same situation we had with House Bolton for hundreds of years.”</p><p>“Aye, you did the right thing. Now that we have peace again, we can focus on the really important tasks at hand,” Sandor started and traced the curves of her body with his fingers gently. “A little prince or princess.”</p><p>“Aye,” Sansa said and took his hand and placed it on her lower belly. “But there might already be a prince or princess grow in me.”</p><p>Sandor looked at her. “You mean?”</p><p>Sansa nodded. “I did not get my moon blood since you left for war. I didn’t go to Maester Wolkan yet, but I am likely with child.”</p><p>“My gods…little bird,” Sandor rasped. “<em>Our</em> child.”</p><p>“Aye. <em>Our</em> child,” she said smiling and Sandor brushed his lips against hers.</p><p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p><p>Sandor was overseeing the training of the new guards with Aberdolf. In the last three months, a lot had changed.</p><p>The day after Sansa had told him that she was most likely with child she had gone to Maester Wolkan and he had confirmed that she was indeed pregnant. Sandor would never have imagined that he would actually be that happy to become a father. He had expected that he would rather be happy that Sansa was happy, but instead, he couldn’t deny that he couldn’t wait to hold their child in his arms.</p><p>A few days after the maester had confirmed what Sansa had so long waited for she had gathered the court and the still present lords and announced her pregnancy.</p><p>All of Winterfell and the North were beside themselves with excitement about the future heir of the northern throne and some people already made bets if it would be a little prince or a little princess. Sandor didn’t care about those things. He just cared for Sansa and he would love every child of them no matter what it turned out to be in the end.</p><p>In the coming weeks after she announced the members of the crown council. Sansa had nobody consulted about this decision, but Sandor had already expected that Lord Manderly, Glover, Flint, and Umber would have a permanent seat in it, besides Lady Karstark and Lady Mormont, due to their large lands and importance for the North.</p><p>The smaller houses like the ones of the other mountain clans and the Neck shared three seats that were exchanged every year so that even the smaller houses had a part in the decision-making process.</p><p>So far, the system Sansa had established seemed to work just fine and the northern economy prospered.</p><p>Lord Ryswell and Dustin on the other hand had returned to their lands and not shown any sign so far to ever stand up against the crown once more. The sons of these two houses have been spread over the houses, Glover, Umber, and Manderly, while the daughters of Lord Dustin were fostered at the Bear Island, and the ones of Ryswell were in Lady Karstarks care in Karhold.</p><p>Sandor had taken joy in seeing Sansa grow with their child the last few months and every night he covered her belly with his hand. The first time he had felt the child move under his hand had been a moving moment for him and he had done something he had not thought possible ever since he had been burned by his monster of a brother; he had cried.</p><p>In this very moment, he swore he would never let any harm come to this child growing in his wife’s belly.</p><p>Because of this, he had intensified the training of the new guards and they got better with every day that passed.</p><p>He watched them as Aberdolf berated a young soldier with blond hair for lowering his shield when he heard a familiar voice behind him.</p><p>“Of course, it had to be you. I should have known it.”</p><p>Sandor turned around and couldn’t believe his eyes.</p><p>Arya stood there in the middle of Winterfell’s courtyard as if it was the most normal thing with her arms crossed in front of her chest.</p><p>“And? Where is the war?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0022"><h2>22. Sansa XIII: Family</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sansa was sitting at her table writing a letter to Bran mentioning that she was pregnant, but she kind of expected him already to know. Nevertheless, she wrote an official letter.</p>
<p>She had just sealed it with hot wax and just pushed her sigil stamp in the soft black mass when a knock was on the door. From the way of the knocking, she already knew that it was Sandor and he entered.</p>
<p>“Little bird, you will never believe who is here,” he announced cheerfully and Sansa squealed when she saw Arya enter the room after him.</p>
<p>“Arya!” Sansa squealed and got up from the table.</p>
<p>“You are pregnant!” Arya said surprised before she hugged her elder sister. Sansa held her tightly. It had been more than six years since she had seen her sister.</p>
<p>“Yes, only a few moons and a new Stark will be with us,” Sansa said happily.</p>
<p>“Of course, I should have known that you two could not leave the hands off each other,” Arya said laughing. “Congratulations you two.”</p>
<p>Arya looked down at herself and placed her hands over her belly.</p>
<p>“Sansa, I must tell you something,” Arya started and Sansa's eyes grew big.</p>
<p>“You want to tell me…?”</p>
<p>“Yes, I am hungry! Let’s have something to eat,” Arya said and laughed at Sansa’s first idea of her being pregnant as well.</p>
<p>“Arya! You can’t fool me like that,” Sansa said playfully.</p>
<p>The three left Sansa’s solar and went to their private rooms. On the way, Sansa told Talia to bring some food for lunch.</p>
<p>As they had sat down at the table in the rooms it didn’t take long until Talia and two other servants brought bread, ale, and roasted meat, along with a pitcher of water for Sansa.</p>
<p>The three helped themselves with food and Arya started to eat as greedy as Sandor had at the beginning of his stay in Winterfell.</p>
<p>“Arya, I didn’t expect you at all. I haven’t heard anything of your whereabouts in all these years,” Sansa said in honest.</p>
<p>“But you did receive the present I’ve sent, didn’t you?” Arya asked taking another bite of her bread.</p>
<p>“Yes, but spices, fabrics, and other stuff are barely a replacement for a letter,” Sansa said.</p>
<p>“You are right, but I didn’t know what to write. I felt you might be mad at me for leaving you here alone with all the responsibility for our house and home, while I…well while I travel the world where ever I wanted.”</p>
<p>“I am not mad, I was just worried for you…and I am not the only one,” Sansa said. She knew well enough that Gendry still loved and cared for her.</p>
<p>Arya had the decency to look ashamed.</p>
<p>“What made you return all of sudden, little wolf?” Sandor asked.</p>
<p>“While I was away I still kept an eye on news from Westeros and especially the North and over the years I only heard good things about the capable young Queen ruling the North,” Arya said and Sansa had to smile at the thought that her reign was seen positive even far outside of Westeros. “And the last time I anchored in a harbor in Yi Ti I got word that made me worry very much for my sister. First I heard that there was a war at the brink of starting in the North as a few houses apparently wanted to stand up against their Queens rule and the second thing I heard that made me worry even more was that the Queen in the North had apparently married.”</p>
<p>Sandor chuckled.</p>
<p>“That’s why I sailed here as quick as I could and didn’t even anchor at White Harbor, because I didn’t know if Manderly might be between the rebels so I landed on a hidden beach at the east coast. And then I come here and find the war already over and you married to him. By the way, nice that you are alive. I thought you were dead.”</p>
<p>“That is what everybody thought until a merchant saw me on the Quiet Isle and mentioned me as he stayed here in Winterfell. That’s when your sister sent for me and well one thing led to next.”</p>
<p>“I know exactly what thing led to the next. I should have expected that Sansa would marry no one else but you, as often as she mentioned your short conversation at the victory feast after the long night,” Arya said smirking and Sansa blushed. “And of course, I can’t forget how during our travel I heard all the time ‘little bird here’ and ‘little bird there’.”</p>
<p>Now it was Sandor who looked like Arya had just called out something very private.</p>
<p>Arya sighed.</p>
<p>“So, it seems I am late for everything. When was the wedding?”</p>
<p>“Not even a year ago,” Sansa said.</p>
<p>“I see. Too bad I missed it. I would have loved the faces of all the young lordlings when you married Sandor and them knowing that this evening you would sing his song and not theirs.”</p>
<p>“Arya…” Sansa said blushing. She had nearly forgotten how bold Arya could be at times.</p>
<p>“But it seems he makes you sing good if he is still allowed at your side,” Arya said smirking and Sandor looked at Sansa smiling knowing that he was more than just good.</p>
<p>“Aye, he is perfect for me,” Sansa said.</p>
<p>“Good, I already prepared myself to make you a widow again. I thought you would have married just one of the lordlings because they promised to fight your war.”</p>
<p>“Luckily it didn’t come to that,” Sansa said in honest. She didn’t want to imagine that she might have done it if it had been the only chance to win this war.</p>
<p>“And how about you? Any man in your life?” Sansa asked.</p>
<p>“Nothing worth talking about. Mostly short interactions for one or two nights when I had to stay in a harbor,” Arya said. “And don’t worry. Nobody knows who I am in all these harbors, so no fear that I might bring shame to the House Starks reputation.”</p>
<p><em>If you only knew how much shame I could have brought to the Stark name if my interactions for one night over the last years would have become public</em>, Sansa thought to herself.</p>
<p>“I am not worried about that…”</p>
<p>“I took care of any…unwanted side effects,” Arya said. “Moon tea in rum is pretty neat,” she said and laughed.</p>
<p>“And what are you going to do now?” Sandor asked. “I mean you see your sister is in good hands.”</p>
<p>“Well…I don’t know actually. I’ve spent the last six years traveling all over the world. I saw probably more than most people in two or three lives. I saw distant cultures and mapped many places…now I feel I just want to be home with my family,” Arya said. “If I still am welcome here of course.”</p>
<p>“You will always be welcome here,” Sansa said and I’d be more than happy to have you around. Especially with me giving birth soon enough. I want my sister at my side to tell me I can do that.”</p>
<p>“Of course, I will be here for you Sansa. You are my family,” Arya said and turned to Sandor. “And you are now too.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0023"><h2>23. Sandor X: New Wolves</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Sandor was sparing with Arya in the courtyard as an example for the recruits how different fighting styles could lead to different outcomes. The little wolf had indeed learned a lot about fighting since the last time he had seen her fight.</p>
<p>Sandor didn’t openly say it, but Arya returning was like a long-lost sister had returned in his life. They teased each other during sparing and laughed together, before drinking together after training.</p>
<p>Due to her returning the attention of all the young lords had now turned towards Arya instead of Sansa. This was very amusing for Sandor and Sansa to see, especially since it was annoying Arya that much.</p>
<p>There was hardly an evening no new young lad tried to approach Arya and win her heart and during the days she knocked them into the dust during sparing all the time.</p>
<p>Now that the crown council came together daily. The Lords in it had to stay in Winterfell meaning that a lot more people from other houses were present now than before. This meant many more lordlings and knights that believed to have a chance with Arya.</p>
<p>Sandor couldn’t deny that Arya was now a woman grown that had her own rough beauty to her. Lord Manderly had once told him she looked like Ned Starks's younger sister. He had no idea if this was true. There weren’t many people alive who had known Lyanna Stark in person and not only as the girl that had been abducted by Prince Rhaegar to start the final chapter of the Targaryen downfall.</p>
<p>Sansa’s belly by now was so large that Maester Wolkan had told them it could only be days until birth. In the last months, Sansa’s belly had grown so much that the Maester was pretty convinced that Sansa wasn’t just carrying one child, but instead twins.</p>
<p>At first, both Sansa and Sandor had been happy about that revelation, but Sansa's emotions towards it had changed rather quickly.</p>
<p>When Sandor had asked her about it she had told him that with twins the risk during birth would also be bigger. Sandor didn’t want to think about the worse outcome. He didn’t want to even think that Sansa might die during the birth process because of complications. Sandor feared even more that everything would go well during birth only to see her fade away the days after to the childbed fever.</p>
<p>Sandor refused to think about it, but Sansa had forced him to listen to her what she wanted if the worst would happen.</p>
<p>She had made preparation together with the crown council that Sandor would be the protector of the throne until their eldest child would be old enough to take over. The Lords of the great houses had sworn a holy oath in front of the weirwood tree to support Sandor. She had also told him that if she wouldn’t make it, he shouldn’t spend the rest of his life alone, but try to find a new woman.</p>
<p>Sandor had told her that she should stop speaking about such a thing. He would never love anyone else but Sansa, so just to talk about these things was a waste of time. And he had told her she shouldn’t always expect the worst to happen. Their maester was capable and so far, Sansa’s pregnancy had gone without any complication. She didn’t even have too bad morning sickness in the last couple of months.</p>
<p>Sandor was sure everything would be alright…and he prayed for it every night before he closed his eyes.</p>
<p>Arya was also confident that everything would be alright. To soothe Sansa’s fears her sister had also told Sansa that she would not leave Winterfell and instead help raise their children and protect them.</p>
<p>Sandor just parried a few quick blows from Arya when Talia called for them.</p>
<p>“My lord Sandor, princess Arya,” Talia said breathing heavily. She had obviously run the whole way to find them. “The Queen…” she said, but couldn’t finish her sentence because she still tried to catch her breath.</p>
<p>“The children?” Sandor asked and Talia nodded.</p>
<p>“Yes, my lord. The children are coming. Please come.”</p>
<p>Sandor and Arya ran with Talia back to the keep and the word that their Queen was in labor spread like wildfire within the castle walls and even before they reached their private rooms lords and ladies already asked how far along the Queen was.</p>
<p>Sandor ignored them and only hurried to get to Sansa.</p>
<p>As they reached the room Aberdolf stood guard in front of the door with ten of his best men, making sure nobody would get past them into the private rooms.</p>
<p>Sandor nodded to his friend, who nodded back before he entered the rooms with Talia and Arya.</p>
<p>Sansa in the bedroom while Maester Wolkan and two midwives were preparing tinctures, hot water, and clean towels.</p>
<p>“Maester what do you need?” Arya asked immediately.</p>
<p>“The bed needs fresh sheets before we can begin,” one of the midwives said instead of the maester and Talia quickly changed the sheets with Arya as Sandor went to his wife.</p>
<p>Sansa was standing propped up against her dressing table. Her skirts were dampened by her broken water and she had one hand resting on her belly.</p>
<p>“Little bird,” Sandor said and she looked at him with a small smile.</p>
<p>“They are coming,” she said and he went over to her to press a kiss against her lips.</p>
<p>“What can I do, little bird?” he asked.</p>
<p>“You can help me with my laces. I need to get in a fresh shift,” she said and groaned a little at one approaching contraction.</p>
<p>Sandor quickly helped her unlace her dress led her behind the dressing screen to change into a fresh shift.</p>
<p>“I love you, Sandor,” she said.</p>
<p>“I love you, Sansa. I will not leave your side,” he promised her.</p>
<p>“Thank you,” she breathed.</p>
<p>Maester Wolkan entered the bedroom.</p>
<p>“Are you sure my lord, that you want to stay here? Birth can be a bloody business,” he said.</p>
<p>“I saw enough blood in my life that I don’t fear childbirth and I will not leave my wife,” Sandor growled and helped Sansa walk to the bed.</p>
<p>Sandor got rid of his boots and sat down at the head of the bed before Sansa sat with her back against his chest.</p>
<p>“I am right here, Sansa,” He rasped into her ear. “And I won’t leave your side.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p></p><div class="center">
  <p>***</p>
</div><p> </p>
<p>It was the early hours of the next morning and Sansa’s screams as she pushed were the only things that could be heard within the walls of Winterfell. The sun was just tainting the horizon in the first colors when the maester had told her it was time to push.</p>
<p>Arya knelt left of Sansa and held her hand while Sandor held her right hand whispering encouraging words into Sansa’s ear as she slowly but surely pushed new life into this world.</p>
<p>“One more time, Sansa. You can do it. I know it. I love you,” he whispered into her ear and she squeezed his hand with such strength it started to hurt.</p>
<p>“Just one more time your grace,” Wolkan said. “I can already see the head of the first baby.”</p>
<p>“You heard that, little bird?” Sandor asked. “One more time.”</p>
<p>And Sansa pushed accompanied by another powerful scream.</p>
<p>“Your grace, you did it! A son! Her grace has a son!” Wolkan announced and handed the child to the first midwife who carried their son away to wash him.</p>
<p>“Sansa! Did you hear that? We got a son!” Sandor said and Sansa squeezed his hand in agreement.</p>
<p>“Your grace I can see the other head. Just one more time and you are done,” the maester said and Sansa did as before until their second child had entered this world.</p>
<p>“Your grace, a daughter. A beautiful daughter,” Wolkan said and gave the little girl to the second midwife.</p>
<p>“Sansa you did it,” Sandor whispered and kissed her temple.</p>
<p>“Yes,” Sansa sobbed exhausted in happiness. “We got a son and a daughter!”</p>
<p>“You did it, Sansa,” Arya said next to her.</p>
<p>The screams of two newborn babies filled the room and Sansa felt some tears of happiness run down his face.</p>
<p>“I love you so much, Sansa,” he said.</p>
<p>“And I love you two. Thank you for staying at my side the whole time,” Sansa told him and Arya.</p>
<p>The Maester returned from the other room where the midwives were cleaning up the babies and turned his attention back to Sansa and if there were any bleeding or other injuries that might endanger her.</p>
<p>“Your grace, it seems there are no bleedings or tearing, but if you notice anything call for me immediately. Congratulations to the birth of your son and daughter,” he said and wrapped the afterbirth into a towel before he left the room, just as the midwives entered with Talia.</p>
<p>“Your grace, your son, and your daughter,” Talia said happily.</p>
<p>The two babies were wrapped in warm towels and had calmed down a little already.</p>
<p>“My lord, outside is the court waiting for news,” Talia said.</p>
<p>“Sandor, can you tell them the good news?” Sansa asked of him.</p>
<p>“Of course, my love,” he said and carefully got out of the bed and first stretched his stiff limps from not moving much for more than half a day.</p>
<p>Sandor left the bedroom and opened the door to their private rooms. On the other side waited Aberdolf and his men along with all members of the crown council and many servants and other people of Winterfell.</p>
<p>They all looked at him in expectation.</p>
<p>“Her grace, Queen Sansa, has given birth to a little prince and a little princess. Both children are healthy and strong. The Queen is exhausted, but elsewise fine as well. The birth went well without complications and she will present the children to court soon,” Sandor said and wanted to turn around to return to his wife when Lord Manderly spoke up.</p>
<p>“Do the children already have names?” he asked happily.</p>
<p>“Not yet, but we will soon make them public. For now, we are just happy that everything went well,” Sandor said. “We both are grateful for your support.”</p>
<p>“Congratulations, my lord,” Lord Manderly said and the other gathered people were cheering for Sansa or applauding.</p>
<p>Sandor returned to Sansa and saw Arya holding one of the children while Sansa was just feeding the other one.</p>
<p>“Any ideas for names?” Sandor asked and Sansa smiled at him, while Arya got up from her chair and handed him his child.</p>
<p>“Time for you to hold your daughter,” Arya said.</p>
<p>“I was maybe thinking, Eddard for our little prince,” Sansa said kissing their son’s head. “And Serena for our daughter. What do you think?”</p>
<p>“Aye, I like that,” he said and traced his daughter’s cheek with his index making the tiny wolf smile. “A little Eddard and a little Serena. I like that very much.”</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0024"><h2>24. Sansa XIV: The Desire of a Queen</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Today was finally the day Sansa had waited so long for. Today she would present her children to the court for the first time with Sandor. This was the moment she had worked forever since she had been crowned.</p>
<p>The line of succession for house Stark was safe. Her son would wear the crown after her. She wouldn’t be the Stark woman that had failed to continue the bloodline.</p>
<p>Two weeks have passed since she had given birth and today would also be the first time, she returned officially to the court again. For the first weeks after birth, she had only spent in their private rooms hidden from prying eyes with Sandor and their two little wolves.</p>
<p>Sansa had enjoyed this time because it would probably be one of the few moments where she could spend her time with Sandor and their babes without being disturbed by matters of the North. At times they laid in bed the whole days just watching their little darlings sleep, only leaving the bed to have lunch with Arya in their rooms.</p>
<p>After a week she had first participated at the meetings of the crown council for the first time receiving the best wishes and congratulations of all members of the council.</p>
<p>Now that she had not only one, but two heirs she felt herself deal with the matters discussed in the council a little more relaxed, now that her position on the throne was hardly being able to be contested.</p>
<p>Sansa was relieved that the whole birth had gone well in the end and that both of her children had turned out to be healthy and strong. It was heartwarming to see Sandor interact with their children. At first, he had held them as if they were a raw egg, but by now he held them with more confidence.</p>
<p>The whole court and a lot of small folk had gathered in the great hall for today. Sansa had the idea to let this ceremony resemble her coronation ceremony. She had even dressed in the same dress as back then.</p>
<p>“How do I look?” Sansa asked Sandor before they left their rooms.</p>
<p>“Every inch the queen you are,” Sandor said.</p>
<p>“Good,” she said. “You take Serena?”</p>
<p>“Yes,” he said and took their little girl from her crib.</p>
<p>Sansa picked up Eddard and the four left for the great hall.</p>
<p>As they entered the great hall everything was exactly like back then. The guards of Winterfell stood guard along the path to the throne and bowed their heads as she walked past them with her son in her arms, while Sandor walked behind her with Serena.</p>
<p>As she walked past the waiting nobility and small folk, she could see how everybody tried to get the slightest glimpse of the babies in the bundles they were carrying.</p>
<p>Sansa sat down on her throne, while Sandor took his seat in the chair resembling the throne next to her left side. Sansa saw Arya stand in the first row of the nobility’s side of the hall.</p>
<p>“My Lords, my Ladies, people of the North,” Sansa started. “Today my husband and I would like to introduce you to their heir of the North. Prince Eddard.”</p>
<p>She turned to Sandor.</p>
<p>“And his twin sister princess Serena,” she said.</p>
<p>“Prince Eddard! Princess Serena!” the crowd cheered.</p>
<p>Eddard complained a little at the sudden noise and Sansa kissed the top of his head and smiled watching Sandor do the same with Serena.</p>
<p>At this moment Sansa knew that her true desire had been fulfilled. To have a family once more, a loving husband at her side, and a safe home for her family and sister.</p>
<p><em>The desire of a queen</em> was fulfilled.</p>
<p>The End.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Merry Christmas.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This Story is based on one of the earliest Plotleaks of Season 8 from 2018. If there is interest I'll put the Summary of that Leak in the Endnotes of the last chapter. </p>
<p>You might not know it, but you all saw Aberdolf in the Series: https://gameofthrones.fandom.com/wiki/Aberdolf_Strongbeard</p>
<p>Leave a comment if you like!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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